Victim Advocate Law and Legal Definition
A victim advocate is an individual who interacts closely with victims of crime and support them in a number of ways. Victim advocates offer a wide range of services, from legal assistance to emotional help.
A victim advocate generally has an educational background in criminal justice, social services, or a similar field, in addition to experience in working with individuals going through traumatic circumstances. Victim advocates are usually available through local law enforcement stations or other state or regional government attorney offices, or social service agencies. The following is an example of a federal statute defining the term:
According to 42 USCS § 13925, the term "victim advocate" means a person, whether paid or serving as a volunteer, who provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or dating violence under the auspices or supervision of a victim services program.
