Ilhem has been working for a few months at a real estate agency but regularly endures mockery from her colleagues to the point that her health is deteriorating. She can no longer tolerate the situation but feels helpless and doesn’t know who to turn to for help.

If you believe you are a victim, numerous structures and systems exist to help you, guide you, and support you.

Victim Support Associations

Victim support associations are responsible for welcoming victims of offenses, informing them about the steps to take to assert their rights, and accompanying them throughout the judicial procedure.

They provide free legal, social, or psychological support when needed. They can accompany victims and guide them through the judicial process, from filing a complaint to the execution of the judgment.

They are present in many locations to be accessible: in police stations and gendarmeries, in courts or justice centers, in hospital emergency departments, for example.

Thus, you can contact Equitas, which can assist you in your procedures and provide legal support.

Phone Number in France

There is a single national number for all victims: the ’08 Victimes’ (or 08842846 37), which is a non-premium rate number, available 7 days a week, from 9 am to 9 pm.

This number is a single point of entry for all victims of offenses, regardless of the form of aggression or harm suffered.

It is a platform of professional listeners, a service that directs towards local victim support associations, reassures, and informs the victim about their rights.

You can also contact the victim support number 116 006, which allows a person who considers themselves a victim of any type of violence, road accident, or natural disaster to be helped by a professional while remaining anonymous. This service is open 7 days a week, from 9 am to 8 pm. Victims are put in touch with competent local organizations such as local victim support associations.

Victim Support Offices (BAV)

In courthouses, victim support offices organize sessions to assist victims in their legal proceedings. They can, for example, provide information on an ongoing procedure, accompany a victim during a trial, or explain how to carry out certain procedures.

If a complaint has been filed, the BAV contact details can be found in the complaint report.

Lawyers

A lawyer can assist and represent you in court.
To contact lawyers near you, you can visit the CNB website, under the ‘Directory’ section. If you don’t know any lawyers, you can also ask the bar association president to appoint one for you.

Moreover, there are free lawyer consultations providing access to the initial information necessary for your procedures. These are organized in most courts, town halls, and houses of justice and law (MJD).

Insurance

If you are a victim of harm not caused by an offense, you should contact your insurer.

You can check if you have legal protection coverage. This is insurance that allows you to benefit from legal advice or the assistance of a lawyer in a judicial procedure. It may be offered with car insurance or home insurance, but you can also subscribe to it directly. Through this, the insurer can initiate legal action on your behalf if you believe you have suffered harm. Legal protection insurance generally covers the following elements: legal information service, lawyer fees, expert fees, procedural costs.

Legal protection coverage is different from legal aid, which is granted by the State based on the level of your income and the composition of your tax household. Legal aid is used to pay procedural costs on your behalf if you meet the eligibility criteria. The application can be made online: Demande d’aide juridictionnelle (Formulaire 16146*03) | Service-public.fr

The Defender of Rights

If you are a victim of discrimination, you can appeal to the Defender of Rights.

The primary care physician or emergency services

You can turn to your primary care physician or emergency services depending on the situation, or to the doctor at the forensic medical unit (UMJ) to have your physical and/or mental state assessed in order to determine the temporary incapacity for work.

The CNIL

If you are affected by a personal data breach, you can contact the CNIL Online Complaints | CNIL. One of its roles is to help individuals control their personal data and exercise their rights.

Reporting platforms

If you are a victim of a violation of image rights, or defamatory, insulting, or hateful comments on the Internet, you can make reports, particularly on the PHAROS platform.

The CADA

If you are facing difficulties with the administration, particularly concerning the retention of administrative documents, you can appeal to the Commission for Access to Administrative Documents (CADA). In principle, it must be contacted within two months from the notification of refusal or the occurrence of tacit refusal (art. R. 343-1 of the Code of Relations between the Public and the Administration).

Victims at work

If you are a victim of harassment, discrimination, or insults in your workplace, who should you turn to?

You can contact:

• The human resources department which will be able to sanction the perpetrator of the offense or proceed with mediation;
• The staff representatives, who can also mediate but also put you in touch with a union, which will inform you about your rights.
• The labor inspection which is able to control the company and can consider sanctions in case of breaches.
• The occupational physician: if you are in psychological distress, the occupational physician can examine you and propose responses adapted to your situation.

In all cases, you can also take legal action to assert your rights.