Frequently Asked Questions

Family members of homicide victims can find support groups in their area by contacting Parents Of Murdered Children, Inc. and The Compassionate Friends.

For additional information, visit the Homicide Victims/Co-Survivors Topic page on website.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) defines dating violence as violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic of intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:

• The length of the relationship
• The type of relationship
• The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

For additional information, visit the Intimate Partner Violence section of our site.

For information on how to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), visit the Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online section of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) site.

You can apply for an EIN online or by telephone, fax, or mail. The Internet EIN application is the preferred method for applying for an EIN. Once the application is completed, the information is validated during the online session, and an EIN is issued immediately.

If you apply by fax, you may receive your EIN within 4 business days. If you apply by mail, you must submit the required paperwork at least 4 to 5 weeks before you need your EIN.

Information on date rape may can be found in the What is rape and date rape? section of the Girlshealth.gov website.

OVC grant solicitations are posted to the Current Funding Opportunities section of our website and on Grants.gov.

Subscribe to receive News From OVC for updates on new funding opportunities and other OVC announcements.

Biographies of past National Crime Victims' Service Awards recipients are available in the OVC Gallery section of our website.

Visit our State Victim Assistance Academies page for information about SVAAs.

OVC also encourages Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Administrators in each state to use VOCA administrative funds to support their SVAA. To contact your VOCA Assistance Administrator, click on your state on our State Support Map.

No. For this reason, please review all submission guidelines and compose your nomination letter and abstract prior to initiating the submission process. For more information, visit the Preparation Tips section of the National Crime Victims' Service Awards site.

If you believe that you are in danger, we strongly urge you to call your local police department’s emergency number (911).

If your local police department employs a victim advocate, they may be able to help you develop a safety plan. You may also contact a local victim service provider. If you need help locating a victim service provider in your area, call the VictimConnect toll free helpline at 855–484–2846.

The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center also provides information and resources on developing a safety plan on the What to Do if You Are Being Stalked section of their site.

If you are a victim of stalking, call your local police department's emergency number (911) to report any incidents.

If you feel you need protection, and you have not done so already, you should consider filing for a protective order, which you can request through civil proceedings. Additionally, if appropriate, you may be able to obtain a no-contact order through the criminal case involving the defendant who threatened you.

A "protective," "no-contact," or "stay-away" order is a legal protection that a court issues against the offender to restrict the offender’s contact and interactions with you. If the offender continues to harass or threaten you, this behavior may be punishable by law. Under the Federal Violence Against Women Act, jurisdictions must give full faith and credit to valid protective orders issued by other jurisdictions. Full faith and credit is a legal term that means jurisdictions must honor and enforce orders issued by courts in other jurisdictions. This can enable you to call on law enforcement officers and the courts to enforce orders of protection across state lines.

If your local police department employs a victim advocate, they may be able to help you develop a safety plan. You may also contact a local victim service provider. If you need help locating a victim service provider in your area, call the VictimConnect toll free helpline at 855–484–2846.

The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center also provides information and resources on the What to Do if You Are Being Stalked section of their site.