Victim advocates assist the victims of crime and help them navigate the court system and get justice.
If you're passionate about helping the victims of crime, this could be a fulfilling career choice for you.
Get started with an online training course, many of which are available free of charge. These programs will help you get started.
Typically, no specific background or education is required to become a victim advocate, just a passion for justice.
Top Online Victim Advocate Training Programs
Keep reading for more details on some of the best victim advocate training programs available online.
1. Alison
The free learning platform, Alison, offers multiple courses for domestic violence victim advocates, all self-paced and free of charge.
Certificates of completion are also available for each of these classes so you have proof of your training. Courses offered include:
- Fundamentals of Domestic Violence and Abuse
- How to Deal with Intimate Partner Violence
- Navigating Family Law
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
- Abuse Awareness and Response Training
Most of these courses are just a few hours long. They're all available on-demand so you can enroll at any time when it's convenient for you.
Keep in mind, however, that these courses don't provide any college credit or fulfill continuing education requirements.
2. Center Against Sexual and Family Violence
The Center Against Sexual and Family Violence offers victim advocacy training free of charge that provides a minimum of 40 hours of training.
The training is approved by the National Advocate Credentialing Program and fulfills continuing education requirements, if applicable.
There are four levels of certification available with different requirements. Training includes coverage of the following topics:
- Domestic violence
- Sexual assault
- Child abuse
- Identity theft
Certificates are valid for up to two years and can be upgraded. Specialties are also available with additional training.
3. National Organization for Victim Assistance
Through the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), you can get free training in a variety of areas of victim assistance.
Training programs available include:
- NOVA Victim Assistance Academy
- NOVA Campus Advocacy Training
- Human Trafficking Response Academy
- Child & Family Advocacy Academy
- NOVA Crisis Response Team Training
Some of these programs are self-paced and available on-demand, while others are live and only available at specific times each year.
All of NOVA's training programs are designed for victim assistance professionals and crisis responders at all levels.
4. National Sexual Violence Resource Center
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center offers basic victim advocacy training online for free.
The program consists of modules that each require 30 to 60 minutes to complete and include interactive exercises and case studies.
This training is not eligible for continuing education credit, but you will get a certificate of completion at the end.
Information designed to help you meet the needs of specific target populations, such as child sexual violence victims, is also included.
5. Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
The Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center has free web-based training programs for victim advocates.
This training program consists of four sections:
- Basics
- Core Competencies and Skills
- Crimes
- Specific Considerations for Providing Victim Services
The program is part of the National Advocate Credentialing Program's pre-approved training list and is eligible for continuing education credit.
Transcripts and certificates of completion are available if you're going for the certified advocate credential.
6. St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud State University's online victim advocacy certificate course is designed for busy professionals who want to enhance their careers.
The program is designed to meet the eligibility requirements for the certified advocate provisional credential.
This course is a mix of synchronous and asynchronous materials and is held approximately once every two months.
Tuition for the course is $995. Since the course doesn't result in college credit, no financial aid is available.
7. Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has victim assistance training available online for victim service professionals in the state.
If you live in a different state, your state's department likely has a similar program designed with your state's laws and regulations in mind.
The Texas program is aimed specifically at victim service professionals who have less than three years experience.
This four-hour training program consists of four modules:
- Ethics
- Crime Victims' Rights
- The Role of the Victim Service Professional
- Safety Planning
FAQs about Online Victim Advocate Training Programs
Read on for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about online victim advocate training programs.
Do You Need a College Degree to Be a Victim Advocate?
Some employers may require a college degree, but generally, you don't need a college degree to complete the training for this career.
A degree in victim advocacy, criminal justice, sociology, or psychology would be helpful, however. These degrees are also available through online programs.
Can You Train Online to be a Victim Advocate?
Absolutely! There are lots of victim advocate training programs available online and many of them are free of charge.
If you're a victim assistance or criminal justice professional, make sure you take an accredited program that can lead to credentialing.
What Do Victim Advocates Do?
Victim advocates assist victims of crime as they navigate the legal system in pursuit of justice for the crime committed against them.
Many victim advocates work with children and domestic violence victims, but there are victim advocates available for victims of any type of crime.
Find the Right School for Victim Advocate Training Today
If you're passionate about justice, take an online training program to become a victim advocate and stand up for victims of crime.
