POLISH CRIME VICTIM SUPPORT ASSOCIATION “SUBVENIA VICTIMA”
Anyone who is a victim of crime will find the emotional, practical, legal, social and psychological support that they need to deal with and overcome the consequences of being a victim. This support is provided by professionally trained and certified victim support officers.
Victims are entitled to victim support services even if the crime was not reported.

Contact address:
biuro Subvenia Victima, ul. Energetyków 10, 70- 656 Szczecin, Tel. 91 4 330 339
E –mail: contactus@subvenia.pl

SubveniaVictima members – here you can find help for you and your family:

1. Caritas Diecezji Kieleckiej
ul. Urzędnicza 7b
25-729 Kielce
tel. 41-366-48-47
e-mail cik.kielce@op.pl
www.kielce.caritas.pl

2. Elbląskie Centrum Mediacji i Aktywizacji Społecznej
ul. Związku Jaszczurczego 17/101
82-300 Elbląg
tel. 55 642 44 25
fax: 55 642 44 25
e-mail: esas_1@wp.pl
www.mediacje-elblag.pl
www.pomocpokrzywdzonym.pl

3. Fundacja Dziecko w Centrum
ul. Zeylanda 9/3
60-808 Poznań
tel. stacjonarny: 61 663 40 90, kom. 666 513 313
e-mail: fundacja@dzieckowcentrum.org
www.dzieckowcentrum.org

4. Katolickie Stowarzyszenie Pomocy Osobom Potrzebującym „AGAPE”
ul. Bernardyńska 5
tel. 81 534 38 87
email: poczta@agape.lublin.pl
www.agape.lublin.pl

5. Krakowskie Forum Organizacji Społecznych „KraFOS”
ul. Bolesława Komorowskiego 12,
30-106 Kraków
Piętro VI, Pok. 706
Tel./ fax (12) 421-22-88
E-mail: pokrzywdzeni.krakow@op.pl
www.krafos.pl
www.opopp.pl

6. Lubuskie Stowarzyszenie na Rzecz Kobiet „BABA”
Stary Rynek 17 (wejście od ul. Lisowskiego), 65-067 Zielona Góra,
tel./fax: 68 4549232, kom. 692064061,
e-mail: baba@baba.org.pl,
www.baba.org.pl

7. Stowarzyszenie „AZYL” na rzecz Pomocy Kobietom i Dzieciom Ofiarom Przemocy
ul. Brzozowa 9
87-100 Toruń
tel: 56 657 58 61; fax: 56 657 58 62
maill: biuro@azyltorun.org.pl

8. Stowarzyszenie „SOS dla Rodziny”
ul. Energetyków 10
70-656 Szczecin
tel. 91 4 330 339
fax 91 431 81 26
e-mail: biuro@sos.home.pl lub pomoc@sos.home.pl
www.sos.home.pl

9. Stowarzyszenie Bezrobotnych i Osób Działających na rzecz Bezrobotnych 
„Wszyscy razem – In Corpore” ul. Franciszkańska 15
91-433 Łódź
tel. 42 63 97 215
fax. 42 63 97 215
www.incorpore.org.pl

10. Stowarzyszenie Centrum Aktywności Społecznej „PRYZMAT”
ul. Noniewicza 91
16–400 Suwałki
tel./fax 87 565 02 58
e-mail: pokrzywdzeni@pryzmat.org.pl
www.pryzmat.org.pl

11. Stowarzyszenie Przeworsk-Powiat Bezpieczny
ul. Lwowska 16,
37-200 Przeworsk,
III – piętro pokój numer 32
tel. 16 648 22 65
email: sppbprzeworsk1@wp.pl
www.przeworskbezpieczny.pl

12. Stowarzyszenie Wspierania Zasobów Ludzkich „Nowy Horyzont” 
ul. Leszczyńskiego 3
35-061 Rzeszów
Tel./ Fax 17/8581-033
e-mail: nowy-horyzont@wp.pl
www.nowyhoryzont.eu

13. Śląska Fundacja Błękitny Krzyż
ul. Mostowa 1
43-300 Bielsko-Biała
tel. 33 817 28 38
fax 33 817 28 38 (wew 24)
www.bk-europe.pl
www.pokrzywdzeni-24.pl

14. Terenowy Komitet Ochrony Praw Dziecka w Inowrocławiu ul. Dworcowa 11
88-100 Inowrocław
e-mail: tkopd.ino@interia.pl
tel. 52 355 93 40
www.tkopd.inowroclaw.pl  

Police station
If you become a victim of a crime, you can report this at the nearest police station or prosecutor. You can also contact the police via phone, call 112 or 997 or the free of charge number 0 800 120 226.

You can report a crime in an oral and written form. The oral form is by telling a police officer or prosecutor about the whole event. After the oral report, you may be immediately questioned as a witness. Both the report and questioning will be written down in a report, which will be filled in by a police officer or prosecutor. You must sign such a report at the bottom. You may also report a crime in a written form.

Court
Courts are independent institutions of justice authorised to decide on legal issues. Decisions made by courts are binding for all public or private organisations. The court is more important than any other institution.
Public courts are relevant as regards criminal, civil, labour, commercial and family law. They are usually divided into district, provincial and appeal courts.
Access to justice in courts is available for all citizens, so they can defend their rights and interests protected by law.
Role of victim during court proceeding:

• A witness is a person who actually saw an act which became the subject of the court proceeding. A person called upon to be a witness has an obligation to appear in place and time required to testify. The person may also be interrogated at the place of his/her domicile, if he/she cannot appear in the court due to disability or illness. It is also possible to interrogate a witness using technical equipment for remote communication.
  A witness has the obligation to testify and cannot hide the truth. When called to testify, relatives of the accused/suspect (e.g. spouse, parent, son and daughter) may use their right to refuse. A witness may refuse answering a question without giving any reason, especially if testifying may pose a threat of penal or fiscal code sanctions to the person or his/her relative.
• A subsidiary prosecutor helps the victim and acts apart from or in place of a prosecutor during criminal proceedings. Contrary to a victim, he/she has the rights of a party to the proceeding. It means that he/she can present evidence, ask questions to interrogated people, as well as appeal court’s sentences. During the proceeding, a substitute prosecutor sits in front of the judge’s table, right of the prosecutor.
  In order to become a substitute prosecutor, a victim needs to file an application with a relevant court to act in such a capacity. The statement needs to be filed between bringing an indictment to the court and its reading during the main proceeding. The statement filed after that term will not be valid.

How to prepare for court proceedings?
Participation in court proceedings may involve a serious stress and mental discomfort, e.g. need to meet the perpetrator again. In such instances you can use the help of your carer. A carer (usually psychologist) is a person who accompanies and supports you during the court proceeding and after if a victim expressed such a need. Being a trusted person appointed by the victim, the carer may be present during the court proceeding. A carer may also meet the victim before the proceeding to prepare the person for the proceeding.

If you are interested in having a carer, contact your national ‘SubveniaVictima’ association by phone: 0048 350 73 80, or email: contactus@subvenia.pl
If your child is called to testify as a witness in a criminal proceeding, you may also contact the National SubveniaVictima Victim Support Association where a specialist will help you and your child preparing for the court proceeding, and explain how the court operates, who is who in the court and its role in the proceeding.
Practical suggestions:
On the day of the proceeding it is advisable to arrive a couple of minutes earlier. Take into account that the security clearance may take some time, in particular in larger courts, and that you also need some time to find the exact room. If you are uncertain, ask a court employee who will guide you if needed. After reaching your place, wait until the court reads out names of people attending the proceeding. Respond when you hear your name to have your presence recorded. Then you need to wait until you are called to the court room.

The ASSISTANT APP
“Assistant” App was created by the SOS for Family Association via funds granted by the Crime Victim and Post-Penitentiary Assistance Fund with crime victims in mind who do not have the possibility of getting to the Aid Centre for Crime Victims or, for some other reasons, prefer to do it via the internet remaining anonymous at the same time.

“Assistant” App is aimed at users of smartphones, especially teenagers and students. Research in Europe shows that the problem of crime among students especially in student homes is not a marginal issue and requires reaching these groups with specific services.

“Assistant” App is free of charge. There is an option of installing it into a mobile device (tablet, phone) from the Google Play Store. Taking into consideration the fact that the internet is widely accessible and that there are many places where access is free of charge, this application gives the victim unlimited possibilities of contacting specialist centres providing assistance in fighting the negative consequences of crimes.

Reports are anonymous, which is a benefit for persons afraid that contacting the authorities would worsen their situation (for example, the violator may be provoked). To make a report, it is necessary to describe the event briefly, set it on a map and leave a contact number.
In two working days at the latest (usually in one day), an employee of  the Aid Centre for Crime Victims will call the victim back in order to provide any necessary support, give information and motivate them to personally contact the nearest specialist centre.

Crime victims from Poland can contact the Aid Centre for Crime run by the SOS for Family Association via the “Assistant” App.

Link to Google Play Store, where you can download the “Assistant” App for free.

Crime Victim and Post-Penitentiary Assistance Fund
Aid Centres for Crime Victims and their close family provide free of charge psychological, legal and financial assistance.
Psychological assistance is provided in the form of an acute intervention – support is given.
A victim of a crime may also use legal assistance in the form of legal advice and writing formal documents. At the centres, a mediator and victim's assistance is also available. The assistant accompanies the victim to the court, prosecution, police and forensic examination. Both psychological and legal assistance are provided by educated specialists. For persons who found themselves in a difficult material situation as a result of the crime, financial assistance is also provided within the framework of the fund as follows:

• covering costs of health services and medical products
• covering costs connected with general and vocational education
• covering costs of temporary accommodation
• covering costs of providing shelter
• financing temporary subsidies for covering rent
• adapting a place or residential building to the needs of the victim
• financing public transportation fees and covering costs of transportation
• financing food
• covering costs of clothing, underwear, shoes, home and personal care products

https://bip.ms.gov.pl/pl/dzialalnosc/fundusz-pomocy-pokrzywdzonym-oraz-pomocy-postpenitenacjarnej/pomoc-pokrzywdzonym/

Social care
Social Care is a social policy institution responsible for domestic social policy. It helps people and families overcoming difficulties in their lives they are not able to cope with alone using their own rights, resources and capabilities.

Social Care is responsible for the following:

• assigning and paying compensation
• social work
• crisis intervention

Principles of social care
Social care is provided when requested by a person interested, his/her representative or any other person authorized by a person interested or his/her legal representative. A person or his/her family may also apply for social assistance with a social care centre at the place of their domicile (such centres are in every municipality).
Decisions on assignment or refusal of social support are preceded by a local investigation/interview made by a social care centre representative. Decisions concerning social support are made in writing. Every decision can be appealed.

Each victim and his/her relatives have the right to use the assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre. Such centres provide specialist assistance, especially psychological and legal service, accommodation for people and families who are victims of violence or suffer from any other crisis situation.

Medical care
If you need medical care in consequence of a crime, do not hesitate and look for medical support immediately by going to a hospital or an outpatient clinic.

Tell a medical care employee that your injuries are the effect of a crime.
Remember that medical documentation is very important during criminal proceedings or to obtain a possible compensation or insurance money.

The European alarm number is 112. It is free and available 24h/7.
By calling 112 you may contact ambulance service and other services (Police, Fire Fighters), whose common goal is to provide help.