Resources

The Crime Victims' Compensation (CVC) Program

The CVC program helps crime victims and their immediate families with the financial costs of crime. Emergency medical care and sexual assault exam compensation may be available to cover the medical care costs a victim received during a sexual assault exam at a hospital under the CVC.

You can get help from CVC staff:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT
Toll-Free: (800) 983-9933
texasattorneygeneral.gov/crime-victims

What is Sexual Assault?

Texas law defines sexual assault by identifying specific acts that occur without consent. (Texas Penal Code § 22.011)

Consent must be clear, voluntary, and ongoing. It can be withdrawn at any time, even if previously given.

Silence, lack of resistance, or prior sexual history do not constitute consent. Consent must be given freely, each time, and for every act.

A person cannot legally consent to sexual activity if:

• They are younger than 17 years old
• They are unconscious or physically unable to resist
• They are coerced through force, threats, or fear of harm
• They are incapacitated due to alcohol, drugs, or other substances - regardless of whether consumption was voluntary or not
• They have a mental illness or intellectual disability that impairs their ability to understand or resist

If You've Been Assaulted

Get to a safe place. Call 911 if you're in danger or need immediate help.

Avoid showering, changing clothes, eating, drinking, or brushing teeth to help preserve evidence.

Get medical attention. At a hospital or clinic, you can be treated for injuries, pregnancy, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), and offered HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) prevention medication (most effective within 24-72 hours). You do not have to talk to police to receive care.

Consider a forensic medical exam (also referred to as a SANE exam) performed by a sexual assault nurse examiner who can collect and preserve DNA and medical evidence - even if you choose not to report to police right away. (Best completed within 120 hours for adults, no time limit for children.)

Medical costs may be covered through the Texas Attorney General's Crime Victims' Compensation (CVC) Program (up to $25,000).

Things You Should Know

Your Rights and Options:

• You may request a sexual assault advocate to be present during your forensic medical exam.
• You may request a victim advocate or representative to be present during interviews with law enforcement.
• You may ask the local prosecutor to file charges against the person who assaulted you.
• If the suspect is arrested for sexual assault, trafficking, or stalking:
• You may request an emergency protective order from a judge.
• You may apply for a permanent protective order through the court.
• You cannot be charged a fee to file for a protective order.
• Evidence collected in a felony case must be kept for at least 40 years or until the statute of limitations expires - whichever is longer. (Texas Code of Criminal Procedure § 38.433)

Privacy and Reporting Options:

• You may use a pseudonym (fake name) in the police report to protect your identity.
• You may participate in the Office of the Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program.
• You may choose whether or not to report the assault to police.