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: askovc@ncjrs.gov

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 or intimate nature with the victim; and where 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, and
• the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

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

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.

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. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the Hotline at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat online.

Additionally, if you are a teen in an abusive relationship, please call the Loveisrespect.org Helpline at 866-331-9474 or 866-787-3224 (TTY), text "LOVEIS" to 22522, or live chat.

Intimate partner homicide statistics are available in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Reporting system.

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