What if you are a victim of a crime?

Verified 08 September 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

You're a victim of a infringement (theft, assault, burglary...) and you wonder about the steps you can take?

We explain what you can do to ensure that the perpetrator is prosecuted and convicted and to obtain compensation for the harm you have suffered.

You can complain to the police or gendarmerie who will forward your complaint to the public prosecutor.

You can file a complaint directly with the public prosecutor to denounce the facts that you are the victim of.

The Public Prosecutor may cause an investigation to be made by the police or gendarmerie.

If the facts are sufficiently established, the Public Prosecutor's Office prosecutes the perpetrator who will be summoned to court for trial.

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Complain to the police or gendarmerie

You must surrender in a police station or to the gendarme of your choice.

Who shall I contact

Police or gendarmerie services are obliged to register your complaint if you are a victim of an offense.

The complaint is then forwarded to the public prosecutor for a decision on further action (investigation, closure without further action...).

If you don't know the perpetrator, you can fill out an online pre-complaint before traveling.

The pre-complaint can be made online:

Online Pre-Complaint

Then you need to sign your complaint on-site in a police station or a gendarmerie brigade that you choose.

The police or gendarmes already have the elements of your complaint when you arrive.

Warning  

you can use the online pre-complaint only if you are the victim of an infringement (theft, damage) or a discriminatory act for which you don't know the identity of the author.

You can ask a lawyer for help. Lawyers' fees are your load.

Who shall I contact

File a complaint directly with the Public Prosecutor

You can file a complaint with the public prosecutor.

To do this, you must send an email to the court of law of the place of the offense or of the domicile of the offender.

Who shall I contact

Your mail should include the following:

  • Your marital status and full contact information (address and telephone number)
  • Detailed account of the facts, date and place of the offense
  • Name of the alleged perpetrator if known (otherwise, the complaint will be filed against X)
  • Names and addresses of any witnesses to the offense
  • Description and provisional or definitive estimate of the damage
  • Your proof documents: medical certificates, work stoppages, miscellaneous invoices, findings...
  • Your eventual willingness to become a civil party

You can use the following mail template:

File a complaint with the public prosecutor

You can send your complaint by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, by simple letter or by letter followed.

You can also file your complaint directly at the courthouse.

In any case, a receipt is given to you as soon as the Public Prosecutor's Office has registered your complaint.

You can call a lawyer who will file a complaint with the public prosecutor on your behalf. Lawyers' fees are at your expense.

Who shall I contact

FYI  

You must file a complaint before the facts are time-barred. If the facts are time-barred, the perpetrator can no longer be prosecuted.

If the public prosecutor does not prosecute the perpetrator and class without follow-up your complaint, you can still take action.

You can to challenge the classification without further action to have your complaint reconsidered.

You can to have the perpetrator summoned before the court if you believe that the offense is sufficiently established.

You can to lodge a complaint with the formation of civil party if you want an investigation.

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Dispute collation without further action

No follow-up is not a final decision.

The Public Prosecutor may return at any time on its decision and decide to prosecute. This is the case if the perpetrator is identified or if there are new elements.

You can to challenge the classification without further action by a letter addressed to the chief prosecutor of the court of appeal.

Who shall I contact

Mail can be sent in plain text or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

The Attorney General may order the Public Prosecutor to initiate proceedings or reject the request.

FYI  

proceedings cannot be instituted if the facts are prescribed or if the perpetrator has died.

Bring the perpetrator before the court

The direct quotation is a procedure that allows the victim to enter directly the police or correctional courts without an investigation.

You must to know the perpetrator and have sufficient evidence.

The author of the facts may be convicted to a fine and/or imprisonment.

You can constitute yourself civil party in this proceeding and ask that the perpetrator compensate you for your damage.

You can ask a lawyer for help.

Who shall I contact

If you have not enough resources to meet the lawyer's fees, you can ask legal aid.

Lodge a complaint with a civil party

You can wear civil party claim before an investigating judge if you are in one of the following cases:

  • The public prosecutor has decided on a no follow-up classification after you file a complaint
  • You have not received a response from the public prosecutor after a period of 3 months following the filing of the complaint
  • The complaint concerns a crime (e.g. rape, murder)

You can go to a lawyer.

Who shall I contact

Lawyer's fees may be supported by legal aid, if you have low income.

If you are a victim of an offense, you can get compensation for the harm you have suffered.

For that, you can be a civil party in criminal proceedings.

If you have suffered harm by an identified third party that is not prosecuted by the prosecutor (for example, if your vehicle is damaged by another vehicle), you can to bring proceedings before the court of justice

When you did not file a civil suit in the criminal trial, you can to bring proceedings before the court of justice.

When the perpetrator is insolvent or unknown, you can refer the matter to the Commission for Compensation of Victims of Crime (Civi).

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Bring a civil suit in criminal proceedings

When the author shall be tried by the police or correctional courts, you can claim compensation for the following damage:

  • Body (injuries, disability, ...)
  • Material (loss of wages resulting from the offense, destruction of property, repairs...)
  • Moral (psychological harm)

For this, you must to be a civil party.

You can bring a civil suit before the hearing by registered letter with notice of receipt or during the hearing.

You must quantify the amount of the amounts that you request and provide any documentation to substantiate them.

You can apply to the court for a expertise to have your injury established.

Seek a civil court

You can go to a civil court to ask your opponent to compensation for your damage.

There will be no police or gendarmerie investigation. The perpetrator cannot be sentenced to prison or a fine.

The competent court depends on the sums involved in the dispute.

  • For a case less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
  • For a case greater than €10,000No, it's the court.
Who shall I contact

You can ask a lawyer for help.

Who shall I contact

If you have a low income, the costs may be covered under the legal aid.

Seize the Civi

You can refer the matter to the Commission for the Compensation of Victims of Crime (Civi) where you cannot be compensated by the perpetrator (the perpetrator has not been identified or is insolvent).

In order to apply to the Civi, your compensation by an organization (insurance, social security, mutual insurance) must also be impossible.

You can claim compensation for bodily injury that has resulted in total or partial incapacity for work for more than 1 month.

You can also claim compensation for a serious damage to your property (e.g., burning of your vehicle).

FYI  

if the victim of the offense has died, his rights holders (spouse, parents, children) may apply to the Civi.

If the perpetrator is ordered to compensate you, you can attempt a amicable covering sums due to you by contacting your debtor.

If he does not pay you, your means of action to collect these sums varies depending on whether the judgment condemning the perpetrator was handed down by a court. criminal jurisdiction or by a civil court.

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Judgment rendered by a criminal court

When the judgment has been rendered by a criminal court, you must call on a commissioner of justice.

If the person is insolvent or not found, you can appeal to the Commission for Compensation of Victims (Civi).

In case of non-compensation by the Civi, you can contact the service of recovery of victims of crime (SarviI).

Call in a Justice Commissioner

The Commissioner of Justice (formerly bailiff) is responsible for the recovery of sums allocated by a court.

The costs of the Commissioner of Justice shall be borne by the party ordered to pay the costs, i.e. the costs of the proceedings.

FYI  

if you know of low incomes, you can benefit from legal aid to enforce a court order.

Seize the Civi

You can refer the matter to the Commission for the Compensation of Victims of Crime (Civi) where you cannot be compensated by the perpetrator (the perpetrator has not been identified or is insolvent).

In order to apply to the Civi, your compensation by an organization (insurance, social security, mutual insurance) must also be impossible.

You can claim compensation for bodily injury that has resulted in total or partial incapacity for work for more than 1 month.

You can also claim compensation for a serious damage to your property (e.g., burning of your vehicle).

Seizing Sarvi

If you have obtained the conviction of the perpetrator for the payment of damages and he doesn't pay you, you can refer the matter to the Service d'aide à la recovery des victims d'infraction (Sarvi).

The Sarvi can compensate you for a sum it recovers from the convicted person.

Judgment rendered by a civil court

The Commissioner of Justice is responsible for the recovery of court awards.

The costs of the Commissioner of Justice shall be borne by the party ordered to pay the costs, i.e. the costs of the proceedings.

Of free legal consultations are organized by the lawyers. You can inquire at the Bar of your home.

You can also get help from an association of the France Victims network.

Who shall I contact

You can also call the Victim Assistance Number.

Who shall I contact

  • 116 006 - Victim Assistance Number

    Listen, inform and advise victims of crime and their families.

    By telephone

    116,006

    Free call

    Open 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm

    The service can also be accessed by calling the +33 (0)1 80 52 33 76 (Normal pricing number).

    By email

    victimes@france-victimes.fr

You can contact the Point-Justice (legal office) in your home.

Who shall I contact

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • 116 006 - Victim Assistance Number

    Listen, inform and advise victims of crime and their families.

    By telephone

    116,006

    Free call

    Open 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm

    The service can also be accessed by calling the +33 (0)1 80 52 33 76 (Normal pricing number).

    By email

    victimes@france-victimes.fr