How to get help if you are a victim of crime on holiday (2024)

How to get help if you are a victim of crime on holiday (1)

If you become a victim of crime, such as a theft or mugging on holiday, it's important to get help as soon as possible. In most countries, if you want the crime to be investigated, you must report it before you leave the country.

You must also report a loss or theft within 48 hours in order to make a claim on your travel insurance.

The severity of the crime will affect what you need to do:

If you've been the victim of a bag snatch or pick pocket you may not wish to have the crime investigated, but you will need to report it to the police and obtain a written report in order to make a claim on your travel insurance for lost or stolen possessions.

If you have had your passport stolen you must report it as soon as possible. Read our guide: Lost or Stolen Passport? Our Handy Guide

If you are the victim of a more serious crime, such as mugging or assault, the nearest British Embassy, Commission or Consulate Office will be able to help you to:

  • Understand the local police and legal procedures
  • Find an English speaking lawyer or translator
  • Find medical treatment or an English speaking doctor (Your travel insurance 24 hour emergency assistance line will also be able to help you find medical treatment quickly and authorise payment of bills).
  • Contact your relatives and friends on your behalf to let them know what has happened.

Find the nearest embassy to your holiday destination

It is important to remember that the British Embassy or Consulate will not be able to give you any financial assistance eg. Covering the cost of medical treatment, this is what your travel insurance is for. Depending on the level of cover you have chosen you may also be able to make a claim to recoup the value of stolen items, alternatively contact your home contents provider.

How to get help if you are a victim of crime on holiday (2024)

FAQs

How to get help if you are a victim of crime on holiday? ›

Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Or, the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. Call us at (888) 407-4747 (from the U.S. or Canada) or (202) 501-4444(from overseas). Consular officers are available for emergency help.

What to do if you are the victim of a crime abroad? ›

If You Are the Victim of a Crime Overseas

Contact the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency for assistance. Contact local police to report the incident and obtain immediate help with safety concerns. Request a copy of the police report.

What are the best programs to help victims of crime? ›

The following organizations also may be able to provide you with information about your rights or refer you to an attorney: The National Crime Victim Law Institute , National Crime Victim Bar Association , National Center for Victims of Crime , and the National Organization for Victim Assistance .

What is an organization that helps victims? ›

The National Center for Victims of Crime – The National Center for Victims of Crime.

How do I ask for an embassy help? ›

Destitute U.S. citizens in need of help overseas should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Or they can contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at (888) 407-4747 (or from overseas +1 202-501-4444).

Can police tell you who reported you? ›

Are you asking if the police have to tell you that someone reported you for a crime? Unless there is a state law or a agency policy requiring it, no the police do not have to tell you a thing about someone reporting you.

What type of victim received money most often? ›

Thirty-six percent of the applications paid were due to assault, followed by child sexual abuse (24 percent), sexual assault (19 percent), and homicide (8 percent).

What are the three major needs of crime victims? ›

Physical, emotional, and psychological safety are all important for victims in the aftermath of crime. Recognize that victims' safety concerns may also extend to children, family members, friends, and others.

What right is commonly afforded to crime victims? ›

These federal and state provisions generally articulate the following rights for victims throughout the criminal justice process: to be informed of proceedings and events; to attend proceedings and be heard; to proceedings free from unreasonable delay; to privacy and protection from intimidation and harassment; to ...

What are the 4 stages of victimization? ›

Casarez-Levison (1992) discussed victimization as a process where a person moves from a pre-crime state (Previctimization), to the crime event itself (Victimization), to initial coping and adjustment (Transition), and finally to a state where being a crime victim is just part of one's life experience (Resolution).

What would you do if you were the victim of a crime? ›

Contact local law enforcement.

If you are the victim of a crime you should contact law enforcement as soon as possible to report the crime. When reporting the crime you should be as detailed as possible when given descriptions of suspects, vehicles, or any property taken during the crime.

What is the US Crime Victims Fund? ›

The United States Crime Victims Fund, administered by the Office for Victims of Crime, is used to recompense victims of offenses against U.S. law. The fund was established as part of the 1984 Victims of Crimes Act.

What support is given to victims? ›

Since its inception in 2001, the FBI's victim assistance program has provided services—such as crisis intervention, emergency travel assistance, and local referrals for counseling, housing, and other services—to more than 2 million victims.

What is it called when a victim gets money? ›

Crime victim compensation is typically for survivors of violent crimes and does not require the identification or conviction of the perpetrator. Restitution, an option for all victims of crime, regardless of crime type, is the direct reimbursem*nt from an identified and convicted individual.

What happens if you are accused of a crime in another country? ›

If you commit a serious crime overseas, there is a high probability that you will be extradited. Extradition is the process in which one nation or state surrenders a suspected criminal to another nation or state. Extradition is regulated by treaties. The United States has extradition treaties with over 100 nations.

What happens if you get assaulted in another country? ›

In most cases, forensic evidence needs to be collected within 72 hours of an assault. While living or traveling abroad, you are subject to the laws and judicial system of the country in which you are located. The U.S. Department of State is committed to assisting U.S. citizens who become victims of crime while abroad.

What happens if a US citizen gets hurt in another country? ›

Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Or, the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. Call us at (888) 407-4747 (from the U.S. or Canada) or (202) 501-4444(from overseas). Consular officers are available for emergency help.

Can Americans be prosecuted for crimes abroad? ›

U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the foreign countries they visit. You can be prosecuted in the United States for some acts committed overseas. You can be prosecuted even if the acts are legal where they happened.

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