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Victim compensation

[Coming Soon] Crime Victim Survivors: The Power of the Personal Story - Episode 7: Liam Esposito

January 2025

Coming soon! In this podcast, we hear from Liam Esposito, who is the Project Director of Deaf-Led Advocacy for Activating Change. As a survivor of childhood interpersonal sexual violence, Liam experienced significant challenges in his life – a fractured family, witnessing abusive learned behavior within his family, and substance use disorder. He overcame these obstacles to become a true activist and advocate for other deaf survivors, and for restorative justice principles and programs.

[Coming Soon] Crime Victim Survivors: The Power of the Personal Story - Episode 6: Courtney Waters

January 2025

Coming soon! In this podcast, we hear from Courtney Waters, is a Peer Support Leader, and co-facilitator of a survivor group for the Sexual Assault Response Unit at the Disabled Persons Protection Commission in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Courtney is a sexual assault survivor with intellectual disabilities who shares valuable information about the increased risk of sexual exploitation for persons with disabilities and shares her unique, personal, and professional approach to creating visual aids for other survivors to help them effectively communicate.

[Coming Soon] Crime Victim Survivors: The Power of the Personal Story - Episode 5: “Maria”

January 2025

Coming soon! In this podcast, we hear from “Maria” an undocumented immigrant who discusses her experience as a domestic violence survivor. Joining “Maria” on the podcast is Ines Negrette, founder and executive director of Casa Luz in Memphis, TN a domestic violence victim services program delivering services in Spanish in the Memphis area. Ines and “Maria” discuss the services she received at Casa Luz and why culturally specific services are so important.

[Coming Soon] Crime Victim Survivors: The Power of the Personal Story - Episode 4: Garnell Whitefield, Jr. & Dion Greene

January 2025

Coming soon! In this podcast, we hear from Garnell Whitefield, Jr. and Dion Greene who discuss their experience following mass violence incidents that resulted in the death of loved ones. Through their experience, both survivors have become outspoken advocates for victims and survivors of mass violence and the underlying issues that we must understand in order to respond in ways that are survivor-centered, culturally competent, and trauma-informed.

The Impact of 40 Years of VOCA: Conversations With the Field: Episode 2

November 2024
Learn about the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which was signed into law 40 years ago on October 12, 1984. This episode features a conversation between Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Director Kristina Rose and Victim Advocacy Corps Program leader Abrianna Morales and student fellows Thanh Nguyen and Grace Chungu as they discuss the impact of VOCA and the future of victim services.

The Impact of 40 Years of VOCA: Conversations With the Field: Episode 1

November 2024
Learn about the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which was signed into law 40 years ago on October 12, 1984. Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Director Kristina Rose and prominent victim advocates Steve Siegel, Herman Millholland, and Anne Seymour discuss the history of VOCA and highlight major accomplishments of the victim services field over the past four decades.

October 2024 Featured Resources

This featured news content includes information about the 40th Anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act, National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act

VOCA 40th Anniversary Logo featuring a quill next to the number 40, both above a piece of paper.

In recognition of the 40th Anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the Office for Victims of Crime has compiled a toolkit of resources about the history of VOCA, the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), the programs it supports, and its important role in the lives of victims and survivors of crime.

VOCA was signed into law on October 12, 1984. Among its provisions...

OVC FY24 VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant

Closing Date
Grants.gov Deadline
Application JustGrants Deadline
OVC will award each eligible state and territory victim compensation program an annual grant equal to 75 percent of the amount the program awarded in state-funded victim compensation payments during the fiscal year 2 years prior to the present fiscal year, other than amounts awarded for property damage.

Message From the Director: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking To Enhance the Federal Crime Victim Compensation Program


I am pleased to announce that the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register (“Notice”) on Monday, February 5, 2024, to enhance the federal crime victim compensation program. It is now open for public comment. 

As you may know, the federal crime victim compensation program is authorized through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and the formula...