Victim services

National Native American Heritage Month

Every November, we commemorate National Native American Heritage Month. In his proclamation, President Trump states “This month, as we recommit to supporting Native American Tribes and people, we resolve to work side-by-side with their leaders to secure stronger, safer communities and preserve their sacred heritage for future generations.”

The Department of Justice has a long-standing commitment to improving public...

Twenty years ago, Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. This landmark legislation provided a framework for protecting victims, holding traffickers criminally accountable, and preventing victimization from occurring in the first place.

As part of our commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the Office for Victims of Crime is launching the Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center website.

The Center offers...

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Prior to the passage of the Act, the United States relied on traditional laws prohibiting involuntary servitude; however, these laws often fell short of addressing modern day forms of human trafficking.

This landmark legislation recognized the importance of protecting victims, holding traffickers criminally accountable, and preventing victimization from occurring in the first...

Meet the 2020 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Recipients

The Office for Victims of Crime annually recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims.

The National Crime Victims’ Service Awards recipients are selected from nominations in a variety of categories for their vision, action, and leadership to improve the lives of victims in the aftermath of crime.

In a video message...

Welcome everyone. Thanks so much for being here today. This is such an important discussion to be having, especially right now in light of the pandemic.

Before we begin, I’d like to extend a special thank you to the Houston Astros for welcoming this exceptional group of domestic violence service providers to your facilities. And to the Astros Foundation for your commitment to raising awareness...

Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica E. Hart visited Austin, Texas on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, to hear from the field and announce grant awards to national and state programs.

Director Hart began her day with a tour of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The Hotline, funded in part by the Office for Victims of Crime, operates 24 hours a day, 365 days...

Welcome everyone, thanks so much being here today. This is such an important discussion to be having, especially right now in light of the pandemic.

Before we begin, I’d like to extend a special thank you to the National Domestic Violence Hotline for hosting this event. And to Katie Ray-Jones, Gloria Terry, and Jason Buckner for all the planning and coordination that went in to...

Female genital mutilation or cutting refers to a barbaric practice involving partial or total removal of female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This terrible crime occurs in many parts of the world and is impacting victims here in the United States.

On Friday, October 30, 2020, the Office of Justice Programs announced that the Office for Victims of Crime...

On Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Attorney General Barr announced that the Office of Justice Programs awarded grants over $144 million to enhance services for victims of crime across the United States. Approximately $64.3 million of this funding was awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime.

Among the programs funded by the Office for Victims of Crime are crime victims' rights legal clinics, services to older...