Center for Victim and Human Rights (CVHR) is the only nonprofit legal services organization in Indiana specifically designed to help victims of crime and human rights abuses. We advance our mission “to empower and advance the safety of victims through legal representation and educational outreach” by providing comprehensive legal representation for victims of crime and human rights violations who often lack safety and resources.

Since opening our doors in 2008, CVHR has provided legal representation, ranging from counsel and advice to full attorney representation at hearings, to over 2,500 clients. CVHR has worked with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other human rights issues, as well as survivors and families of homicide victims. CVHR serves a broad range of clients, including native-born Americans as well as immigrants, children and the elderly, victims from various races and ethnic backgrounds, and LGBTQ+ victims who have experienced violence and discrimination due to their sexual orientation. CVHR clients receive services through our two programs:

(1) the Crime Victim Rights Program, under which we provide our clients with legal representation in humanitarian immigration matters, protection orders, and joint protection order – paternity cases. We also work with clients to ensure that crime victim rights laws are being upheld.

(2) the Human Rights Program, under which we provide legal representation to those seeking asylum as well as special immigrant juveniles.

But perhaps our most important contribution is that we stand next to and in front of victims in court, to allow their voices to be heard and to hold the perpetrators accountable.