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Public Awareness

Victims of the Addiction Crisis

Victims of the Addiction Crisis

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, parental substance abuse is one adverse childhood experience associated with a range of negative outcomes later in life. Children and youth who are exposed to parental substance abuse may be at greater risk for crime victimization during their lifetimes, including child abuse and neglect, human trafficking, intimate...

Tribal Communities

Tribal Communities

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) suffer from one of the highest rates of victimization in the country. Cultural differences, remote locations, and challenging jurisdictional issues make providing victim services in tribal communities complex. In its work with tribes, OVC pays particular attention to government-to-government relationships with our tribal government grantees and to supporting tribes in providing culturally appropriate services for victims.

Tribal...

Training & Technical Assistance

Training and Technical Assistance

OVC encourages service providers and allied professionals to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and abilities so that they can provide the best possible services to crime victims throughout the Nation. The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) leads the agency’s efforts to provide such expertise- and capacity-building activities by offering a variety of instructor-led trainings, both in person and online...

Research & Evaluation

Research and Evaluation

Data on Crime Victimization

In FYs 2019 and 2020, OVC funded two partner agencies—the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)—in their endeavors to generate, collect, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data on victimization, victim services, and related topics critical to the field.

OVC continued an interagency agreement with NIJ to support research for the field, including...

Innovative Practices

Innovative Practices

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, only 8 percent of victims of violent crimes received help from a victim service agency in 2019—a decline of 11 percent from 2018. To improve this reality, the victim services field must diversify and expand existing strategies for providing victim assistance and create vital links to other fields that come into contact with victims of crime...

Serving Victims Everywhere

Serving Victims Everywhere

OVC believes that crime victims should have access to the evidence-based services and support they need to begin their physical, emotional, and financial recovery. However, OVC recognizes that there are serious challenges to achieving this goal. Strengthening connections across allied fields to expand the availability and quality of services that impact a victim’s healing are among these challenges.

Center for Victim Research...

Public Awareness

Public Awareness

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

In April 2020, OVC sponsored the annual commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). The theme—Seek Justice. Ensure Victims’ Rights. Inspire Hope—recognized that education on crime victims’ rights is key to ensuring that all participants in the criminal justice process acknowledge and support those rights. The theme also invited us to celebrate the individuals and...

Funding Opportunity: 2021 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Community Awareness Projects

Apply for funding to raise public awareness about victims’ rights and services in your community during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18–24, 2021.

Community Awareness Projects grants reimburse up to $5,000 in costs associated with conducting public awareness activities during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, including—

  • public events (including virtual events, candlelight vigils, information/resource fairs, 5k walk/runs);
  • mass media advertising; and
  • production, publication, and...

July 2020 Featured Resources

2021 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

In 2021, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be commemorated April 18–24. The theme—Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.— emphasizes the importance of leveraging community support to help victims of crime.

Subscribe to the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week subscription list, for the latest updates.
 

Submit Your Nominations for the 2021 National Crime Victims’...

Human Trafficking

View available OVC resources, awareness materials, and services for victims of labor and sex trafficking and victim service providers.

Events

Discover conferences, trainings, and other events to help raise awareness of crime victims' issues and build your knowledge to serve, support, and work with victims in your community.

Featured Resources

View OVC news and announcements about crime victim services and assistance updated monthly.