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News and announcements

Video Message from Director Hart Commemorating National Campus Safety Awareness Month

To commemorate National Campus Safety Awareness Month, Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica E. Hart released a video message.

“In the wake of the pandemic, it is more important than ever to commemorate this month as National Campus Safety Awareness Month and to commit ourselves to raising awareness about the safety on college and university campuses across the country” states Director Hart.

This...

Attorney General Barr Announces Nearly $100 Million in Office for Victims of Crime Funding to Fight Human Trafficking

On Monday, September 21, 2020, Attorney General Barr and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump announced the release of nearly $100 million in Office for Victims of Crime funding during a meeting at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. 

This funding, which includes the $35 million in funding for housing assistance announced during a recent White House event, will go towards...

Senior Advisor for Victims Services and Human Trafficking Program Director Woolf Speaks at Human Trafficking Summit

On Wednesday, September 9, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Senior Advisor for Victims Services and Human Trafficking Program Director Bill Woolf spoke at the Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Summit, hosted by the Louisiana First Foundation.

Mr. Woolf discussed the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking nationwide, led by the Office for Victims of Crime, including the Improving Outcomes for Child and...

Director Hart Discusses Opportunities to Support States at Administrators Conference

On Monday, August 31, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica E. Hart spoke at the 2020 Victims of Crime Act Administrators National Training Conference. This annual event hosts state Victims of Crime Act Administrators who manage formula victim compensation and assistance grant programs—the cornerstone of support for victims throughout the Nation.

Director Hart spoke about the importance of developing productive relationships with Administrators and...

Senior Advisor for Victims Services and Human Trafficking Program Director Woolf Speaks at Grantee Meeting on Elder Abuse

On Monday, August 31, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Senior Advisor for Victims Services and Human Trafficking Program Director Bill Woolf spoke at a webinar hosted by the National Elder Multidisciplinary Team (E-MDT) Training and Technical Assistance Center for E-MDT grantees.

He discussed the commitment of the Office for Victims of Crime to serve older victims of financial fraud, including the March 2020 launch of...

Principal Deputy Director Woolf Speaks About Combating Sex Trafficking

On Thursday, August 27, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Principal Deputy Director Bill Woolf spoke at the 2020 Virtual Law Enforcement & Human Trafficking Conference.

Principal Deputy Director Woolf, a former detective and human trafficking task force lead investigator, provided information to law enforcement personnel about the involvement of gangs in sex trafficking. He discussed the economics of sex trafficking and how gangs recruit...

Director Hart Discusses Services to Victims of Human Trafficking at Grantee Orientation

On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica E. Hart spoke at the FY 2019 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Grantee Orientation.

In her remarks, Director Hart addresses the challenges faced by human trafficking task forces to identify and serve victims during the pandemic and highlights the commitment by the Trump Administration and the Department of Justice...

Principal Deputy Director Bill Woolf Speaks at the Alabama State Victim Assistance Academy

Office for Victims of Crime Principal Deputy Director Bill Woolf spoke at the Alabama State Victim Assistance Academy, hosted by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. This event provided comprehensive training to approximately 130 victim service providers from Alabama.

On behalf of Director Hart, Principal Deputy Director Woolf expressed his gratitude for the hard work and dedication of Alabama’s victim service providers while facing the challenges...

Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica Hart Visits Grantees Supporting Human Trafficking Victims

COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of life for Americans, and this is especially true for those working on the frontlines with victims of human trafficking. On Thursday, August 20, 2020, Director Hart visited two grantees, Survivor Ventures and Samaritan House, to hear how they are continuing to provide transitional housing services to human trafficking survivors during a pandemic that is stretching resources and presenting...

Submit Your Artwork to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act recognizes the importance of holding traffickers criminally accountable, protecting victims, and preventing victimization from occurring in the first place.

As the leader of the Department of Justice’s response efforts to combat human trafficking, the Office for Victims of Crime is pleased to announce the launch of an art initiative—Represent Resilience: Learning from Yesterday, Building a Stronger Tomorrow—to commemorate...

White House Announces More Than $35 Million in Office for Victims of Crime Funding to Provide Housing to Victims of Human Trafficking

Attorney General William P. Barr, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katie Sullivan, and Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica Hart announced $35,104,338 in funding to 73 organizations in 34 states to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.  Attorney General Barr made the announcement during a roundtable at which grantees and survivors highlighted the...

Message from OVC Director Jessica E. Hart on Human Trafficking Initiatives

July 2020

This Office for Victims of Crime video message from Director Jessica E. Hart describes a consolidation of law enforcement, juvenile justice, and victim services human trafficking initiatives at the Office of Justice Programs into one division at the Office for Victims of Crime. This consolidation better aligns funding, training, assistance, and other resources in support of Attorney General Barr’s efforts to use every means at the Department of Justice’s disposal to bring traffickers to justice and serve trafficking victims.

New Division Created in the Office for Victims of Crime to Combat Human Trafficking

The Office for Victims of Crime is the largest federal funder of efforts to combat domestic human trafficking. Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Administration, for the Department of Justice, and for the Office for Victims of Crime.

Watch this video message from Office for Victims of Crime Director Jessica E. Hart about a recent consolidation of law enforcement, juvenile justice, and...

July 2020 Featured Resources

2021 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

In 2021, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be commemorated April 18–24. The theme—Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.— emphasizes the importance of leveraging community support to help victims of crime.

Subscribe to the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week subscription list, for the latest updates.
 

Submit Your Nominations for the 2021 National Crime Victims’...

News & Events

Learn about new OVC programs, initiatives, upcoming events, funding opportunities, and more to help crime victim service providers and allied professionals.

Press Room

View U.S. Department of Justice and White House press releases relevant to the crime victims field.

FY 2020 VOCA Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance Formula Application Attachments and More

April 29, 2020

A Copy of an Email Sent by Kathrina S. Peterson, OVC Deputy Director, on April 20, 2020

Good Afternoon VOCA Administrators,

This email contains information about the Compensation and Assistance applications and related required attachments; the FY 2020 Training and Technical Assistance Solicitation for Administrators and Subrecipients; and the recently launched DOJ National Elder Fraud hotline.

Compensation and Assistance Applications: As you...