OVC Links
Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC): Tribal Victim Assistance
This OVC TTAC resource provides information and tools to support the efforts of Tribal victim advocates, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and others to develop a victim-centered response to crime victims in Tribal communities.
Mobile Apps for Crime Victims and Providers Compiled by OVC
This OVC web page contains a list of free apps that provide information, support, and resources about various types of victimization. These apps were created by government agencies and non-profit organizations, and some apps were developed with funding support from OVC.
Agencies’ Use of Technology: Best Practices & Policies Toolkit
This resource provides guidance for domestic violence programs, sexual assault crisis centers, and victim service agencies regarding best practices to help maintain the safety and security of crime victims and their personal information. It was produced by the National Network to End Domestic Violence's Safety Net Project, which develops resources and information on the use of technology for survivors and the agencies that support them.
Technology Safety & Privacy: A Toolkit for Survivors
This toolkit contains safety tips, information, and privacy strategies for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking related to the use of technology. The toolkit was produced by the National Network to End Domestic Violence's Safety Net Project which develops resources and information on the use of technology for survivors and the agencies that support them.
WomensLaw.org
This website provides state-specific plain-language legal information and resources for survivors of abuse. OVC helps fund the WomensLaw Email Hotline, which provides legal crisis intervention support using trauma-informed approaches that protect the safety and confidentiality of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Stolen Futures: A Forum on Child Identity Theft
OVC and the Federal Trade Commission held a forum in 2011 to discuss child identity theft. Read transcripts from forum sessions that explored the nature of child identity theft—including foster care identity theft and identity theft within families—with the goal of advising parents and victims on how to prevent the crime and how to resolve child identity theft problems.
Office for Victims of Crime: Human Trafficking
Our human trafficking microsite contains information about anti-trafficking efforts and resources for anti-trafficking professionals. Find information about grant funding, training and technical assistance, and OVC's leadership in the field.
Government Links
U.S. Department of Justice: Human Trafficking
This website provides information about U.S. Department of Justice efforts to combat human trafficking and provide services to victims.
Federal Trade Commission: IdentityTheft.gov
IdentityTheft.gov provides a comprehensive collection of resources for identity theft victims, including information on how to know if you're a victim and what steps should be taken if your identity has been stolen.
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is the U.S. Government's central website for information about identity theft. This site includes government reports and Congressional testimony, law enforcement updates, and consumer alerts. Victims of identity theft will find useful information on how to report identity theft and steps to protect their credit.
Federal Trade Commission: Back to school: Protect your child’s information
In the wrong hands, the personal information on school forms can be used to commit fraud in your child's name — to apply for government benefits, open credit card accounts, or apply for a loan. This blog post provides information on how you can help protect your child's identity.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Managing Someone Else's Money
This site provides advice to help financial caregivers manage the financial decisions of a loved one, provides information on how to watch out for scams and financial exploitation, and what to do if your loved one is a victim.
U.S. Administration on Aging
This agency promotes the well-being of older individuals—including protection from elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation—by providing services and programs designed to help them live independently in their homes and communities.
National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry allows you to prevent telemarketers from calling your home or mobile phone with unsolicited offers.
Internal Revenue Service: Identity Theft Central
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides this identity theft resource to help individuals, businesses, and tax professionals when personal information is stolen in order to commit tax fraud. The IRS also provides information on how to prevent and report tax-related identity theft.
Federal Trade Commission: Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business
The loss of sensitive customer information can harm businesses by impacting customer trust or even opening your business up to lawsuits. This resource provides the steps businesses can take to avoid security breaches in order to protect sensitive customer data.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Health Information Privacy
You have the right to examine your medical records from your medical and pharmacy providers to verify that the information is accurate. If your request to review your medical records is refused, you may submit a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Federal Trade Commission: Identity Theft
This section of the Federal Trade Commission website provides information about identity theft, tips on how to protect your identity, and steps to take if your identity has been stolen.
Social Security Administration: Office of the Inspector General
Among its responsibilities, this office is tasked with preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security Administration programs and operations. The office operates a fraud hotline where you can report suspected cases of fraud, waste, and abuse.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is responsible for investigating fraudulent use of the U.S. mail and postal system. Victims of mail crime—including identity theft, fraud and mail theft—can file a report with this office.
Federal Trade Commission: Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert: What's Right for Your Credit Report?
Victims of identity theft may want to place an extended fraud alert or a free credit freeze on their credit file. This article provides information on both extended fraud alerts and credit freezes, along with the steps victims can take to implement them.
Federal Trade Commission: Disputing Errors on Your Credit Report
This site provides information and other resources for verifying that your credit report is accurate, how to correct mistakes (including a sample letter), how to monitor your credit report, and how to report scams.
U.S. Department of Justice: Elder Justice Initiative
This site serves as a resource for victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation and their families, practitioners who serve them, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, and researchers seeking to understand and address this silent epidemic plaguing our Nation's elders. Victims and family members will find information about how to report and get assistance for victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Victim Notification Program
This program provides information to eligible victims and witnesses who register to be notified of a criminal alien's release related activities. Registered victims and witnesses will be advised when the criminal alien is released from custody or removed (also known as deportation).
Office for Victims of Crime: Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP)
OVC manages AEAP, which offers five funding streams to provide timely relief to communities affected by domestic terrorism and criminal mass violence for immediate and ongoing victim assistance services in the form of grants. Qualifying applicants include state victim assistance and compensation programs, public agencies, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and more.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Violent Crimes Against Children
This FBI program's mission is to—
- decrease the vulnerability of children to sexual exploitation;
- develop a nationwide capacity to provide a rapid, effective, and measured investigative response to crimes against children; and
- enhance the capabilities of state and local law enforcement investigators through programs, investigative assistance, and task force operations.
Non-Government Links
Changing Minds
This national campaign seeks to raise awareness, teach skills, and inspire public action to address children's exposure to violence and trauma. Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, this campaign seeks to engage teachers, coaches, counselors, doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers, and other professionals and caregivers on proven ways to help heal the damage of childhood trauma.
Center for Changing Our Campus Culture
The Center for Changing Our Campus Culture is a comprehensive online clearinghouse that provides important resources for colleges and universities on sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The site—fully funded by the Office on Violence Against Women—includes the latest research; sample campus policies, protocols, and best practices; and information on how to access training opportunities and technical assistance.
Healing Justice
Partnering with the Duke Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and working closely with innocence organizations and service providers in individual states, Healing Justice seeks to address the aftermath of wrongful convictions for all involved.
When Your Child's Identity Is Stolen
This site provides information on how to protect your child's identity, signs that your child's identity may have been stolen, and what to do if your child is an identity theft victim.
TransUnion: Child Identity Theft
This site provides information about how parents and guardians can check the TransUnion credit file of a minor child to ensure they have not been targeted by identity theft.
Equifax: Are My Children at Risk of Identity Theft?
This article provides advice on how to manage a child's credit, including what to do if you think your child may be an identity theft victim.
TransUnion
TransUnion is one of the three major credit bureaus along with Equifax and Experian. Victims of identity theft and individuals who suspect they might be victims can contact the TransUnion fraud department to place a fraud alert on their credit report.
Experian
Experian is one of the three major credit bureaus along with Equifax and TransUnion. Victims of identity theft and individuals who suspect they might be victims can contact the Experian fraud department to place a fraud alert on their credit report.
Equifax
Equifax is one of the three major credit bureaus along with Experian and TransUnion. Victims of identity theft and individuals who suspect they might be victims can contact the Equifax fraud department to place a fraud alert on their credit report.
National Council on Aging: Steps to Avoiding Scams: Savvy Saving Seniors Financial Education Module
This online course and toolkit provide seniors with information on avoiding scams, which can help them stay secure and independent longer.
OptOutPrescreen.com
The official website of the consumer credit reporting industry, this website allows consumers to opt-in or opt-out of unsolicited credit or insurance offers. You may also call 888-567-8688.
World Privacy Forum: Patient's Guide to HIPAA
This resource helps patients understand health privacy laws.
National Association of Attorneys General: Find My Attorney General
This section of the National Association of Attorneys General website provides contact information for the attorney general of each state or territory in the United States.
Identity Theft Resource Center: Tracking Your Identity Theft Cases
This site provides information about how identity theft victims can effectively track, manage, and organize their case. No-cost direct assistance and a personal plan can be created by contacting the Identity Theft Resource Center hotline at 888-400-5530 or by using the live chat feature.
National Immigrant Women's Advocacy Project (NIWAP)
NIWAP is a national provider of training, legal and social science research, policy development, and technical assistance to providers and allied professionals who work with immigrant women, children, and crime victims. NIWAP hosts a library containing numerous resources on the legal rights of immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes.
The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention
The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention fosters hospital and community collaborations to advance equitable, trauma-informed care, and violence intervention and prevention in hospital-based violence intervention programs.
International Rescue Committee
The IRC provides assistance to refugees, displaced persons and others fleeing persecution and violent conflict throughout the world. Often one of the first agencies on the scene of an emergency, the IRC delivers critical medical and public health services, food, and shelter. Once a crisis stabilizes, it provides education, training, economic assistance and, if necessary, resettlement assistance.
Enhanced Services to Children and Youth Exposed to Violence: Promising Practices & Lessons Learned
This site provides a collection of promising practices, lessons learned, and related resources derived from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-funded grantee demonstration projects designed to enhance services provided to children and youth who have been exposed to violence.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Center provides technical assistance, training, and materials to increase the knowledge and expertise of suicide prevention practitioners and other professionals serving people at risk for suicide.
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS)
The mission of GEMS is to empower young women, ages 12–24, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.
Family Resource Information, Education, and Network Development Service (FRIENDS)
FRIENDS provides services to the community-based child abuse prevention community through targeted training and technical assistance efforts, as well as information to the general child abuse prevention community.
Family Justice Center Alliance
The Alliance provides training, planning, consulting, and technical assistance to Family Justice Centers and family violence professionals throughout the world.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
This national, toll free hotline operates on a 24/7 basis. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the hotline by phone at 888-373-7888, text at 233733, or live chat.
National Children's Advocacy Center
The Center models, promotes, and delivers excellence in child abuse response and prevention through service, education, and leadership.