Frequently Asked Questions

Select OVC publications and products are available to order. Contact our Response Center for assistance.

OVC Response Center
P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD  20849–6000
Phone: 800-851-3420 or 202-836-6998
(TTY 301-240-6310)
Email: [email protected]

Visit our Help for Victims microsite to learn about resources and services for victims of crime.

Another source of help is your local victim/witness assistance program. You may contact the VictimConnect helpline by phone or text at 855-484-2846 or online chat for a referral in your area.

Find out more in this brochure, What You Can Do If You Are a Victim of Crime, which includes a brief overview of OVC, your rights, and where you can get help.

If you are a teen in an abusive relationship or are concerned about someone's safety, please contact the Loveisrespect.org Helpline at 866–331–9474 or 866–787–3224 (TTY) by phone, by texting "LOVEIS" to 866–331–9474, or via live chat.

Visit the Loveisrespect.org website for more information.

Data on family violence are available in the following Bureau of Justice Statistics resources—

• the Intimate Partner Violence publication series,
• the National Crime Victimization Survey Victimization Analysis Tool, and
• Family Violence Statistics: Including Statistics on Strangers and Acquaintances.

Advocates with the National Domestic Violence Hotline are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The hotline provides crisis intervention, safety planning, information, and referrals. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 100 languages through interpreter services. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please contact the Hotline at 800–799–7233 (TTY 800–787–3224) or via live chat.

Additionally, if you are a teen in an abusive relationship, please contact the Loveisrespect.org Helpline at 866–331–9474 or 866–787–3224 (TTY) by phone, by texting "LOVEIS" to 866–331–9474, or via live chat.

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.

Intimate partner homicide statistics are available in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Crime in the United States report.

For additional information, visit our Intimate Partner Violence and Homicide Survivors/Co-Survivors Topic pages.