News & Features

Partner Message Board

The resources presented on the Partner Message Board are shared for information purposes only and inclusion should not be considered an endorsement by OVC.

December 2018

Video and Guides Help Financial Caregivers to Identify and Report Financial Exploitation

Millions of Americans are managing money or property for a family member or friend who is unable to make financial decisions or pay bills. To help financial caregivers, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection recently released a video that explains its Managing Someone Else’s Money guides for four different fiduciary roles: agents under a power of attorney, trustees, court-appointed guardians, and government fiduciaries.

These resources help caregivers by walking them through their duties, providing tips on protecting their loved ones from financial exploitation and scams, and how to report financial fraud.

For additional resources on financial fraud prevention and serving victims of these crimes, visit the visit the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection: Frauds and Scams page and the Fraud and Identity Theft page of our website.

(Posted December 14, 2018)

October 2018

Report Finds Substantial Costs for Domestic Violence Victims

The cost associated with being a victim of intimate partner violence can exceed $100,000 for women, according to the report, Lifetime Economic Burden of Intimate Partner Violence Among U.S. Adults.

The study used nationally-representative data from the Centers for Disease Control’s 2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey to estimate the economic costs to society over the lifetime of all people who report experiencing intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. This cost includes expenses, such as medical costs, lost work productivity, and criminal justice costs.

Researchers found that the lifetime per-victim cost for women was $103,767 and $23,414 for men. The disparity between the two genders is due to differences in outcomes — for example, rape-related pregnancy — differences in the number of affected victims, and a lack of studies on this topic that include male victims.

The lifetime economic burdens of intimate partner violence are substantial, but preventable. The findings from this report can inform the potential benefit of prioritizing prevention, as well as evaluating current prevention strategies.

(Posted October 18, 2018)

New Federal Law Allows for Free Credit Freezes

Financial and economic crimes — including fraud and identity theft — cost American individuals and businesses billions of dollars every year. These crimes take a significant emotional and financial toll on victims.

To help protect consumers, a new federal law allows individuals to request free credit freezes, also known as security freezes. A credit freeze restricts access to credit files and makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts using a victim's name. Individuals can also obtain a free credit freeze if they are someone's guardian or conservator, if they have a valid power of attorney, or on behalf of a child younger than age 16.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission website to learn more about how to request a credit freeze.

The federal legislation also preempts state security freeze laws and extends initial fraud alerts from 90 days to 1 year. A fraud alert notifies the users that the consumer has been or may become a victim of fraud or identity theft. Fraud alerts are still free and identity theft victims can still get an extended fraud alert for 7 years.

(Posted October 9, 2018)

April 2018

New Research Offers Recommendations to Assist Human Trafficking Survivors

With funding from the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice, the Urban Institute recently released four reports that examine human trafficking survivors' experience with the justice system.

Based on interviews with 80 survivors, this research offers recommendations for improving the service provision and criminal justice system response to victims.

The reports also present a tool to help practitioners engage with survivors throughout their recovery. Practitioners can employ the information to inform their daily work with survivors. Read more in the following online publications.

• Delivering Justice for Human Trafficking Survivors: Implications for Practice


• Justice in Their Own Words: Perceptions and Experiences of (In)Justice among Human Trafficking Survivors


• Comparing Narratives of Justice: How Survivors, Criminal Justice Stakeholders, and Service Providers Perceive Justice in Human Trafficking Cases


• Alternative Forms of Justice for Human Trafficking Survivors: Considering Procedural, Restorative, and Transitional Justice

(Posted April 25, 2018)

Elder Justice AmeriCorps

OVC-Supported Fellows Evaluate Elder Abuse in Iowa and Maine

Through the Elder Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowship Program, OVC supports victims of elder abuse who often suffer in silence. This program provides comprehensive legal and support services for victims of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

The innovative program supports 30 legal fellows, many of them located in OVC-funded legal clinics across the country, to further promote the capacity of pro bono services.

Recently, fellows in the program helped to develop guides in Iowa and Maine that discuss the responses to elder abuse and what can be done to support victims in those states. The Iowa report serves as a general summary of elder abuse laws in the state, and the Maine report takes a deep dive into the financial exploitation of elders in Maine.

The fellowship program is supported through a collaboration between OVC, the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

(Posted April 20, 2018)

New Tool to Report and Recover from Tax Identity Theft

Tax-related identity theft happens when someone uses a stolen Social Security number to file a tax return and claim your tax refund.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have made it easier for consumers to report and recover from tax-related identity theft.

Now, consumers can report tax-related identity theft to the IRS online through the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov website. IdentityTheft.gov is the only website where consumers can report tax-related identity theft to the IRS electronically. The website also offers users with help to make an identity theft recovery plan, including information on how to create a fraud alert on your credit files and check your credit reports.

IdentityTheft.gov is free and easy to use.

View a recent FTC blog post and the IRS Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft page to learn more about tax-related identity theft.

(Posted April 20, 2018)

What Data Tells Us About Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services

Although significant strides have been made on behalf of crime victims in recent years, federal data reveal that there is still much work left to do to ensure that victims have access to appropriate services and support.

In a recent article for Police Chief Magazine, Heather Warnken, Visiting Fellow, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, discusses how federal data collection efforts illustrate the significant gaps that remain in accessing services for the majority of people touched by crime, including law enforcement-based victim assistance.

Using data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, this article sheds light on law enforcement's current efforts in victim services, highlighting the work that can be done to reach more victims.

There are preventative, public safety benefits to enhancing law enforcement's response to victims that are integral to agency success. Looking to the future, law enforcement leadership should strive to ensure that victims of crime have access to evidence-based services and care. OVC supports groundbreaking initiatives that have the potential to transform the trajectory of law enforcement–based victim services.

Read more in the article, What Does the Data Tell Us About Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services?

(Posted April 20, 2018)

March 2018

New Report Presents School Crime and Safety Statistics

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics today released Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2017.

This annual report on school crime and safety from the perspectives of students, teachers and principals.

It contains data on 23 indicators of school crime and safety, including–

• violent deaths;
• nonfatal student and teacher victimization;
• school environment;
• fights, weapons, and illegal substances;
• fear and avoidance;
• discipline, safety, and security measures; and
• campus safety and security.

View the Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2017 report to learn more.

(Posted March 29, 2018)

Tax Season: How To Protect Yourself and What To Do if You’re a Victim

Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses a stolen Social Security number along with other personal data to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund.

As Americans across the country prepare their tax returns, resources are available to help protect the public and assist victims of this crime.

The Stay Safe From Cybercrime During Tax Time fact sheet provides an overview of scams targeting taxpayers, tips for protecting yourself from tax-related identity theft, and steps that victims can take to receive help. The fact sheet was created by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC).

One of the resources featured in the fact sheet is the ID Theft mobile app. Developed by ITRC with funding support from OVC, this free app can help victims track their ID theft cases and obtain assistance and resources.

View the fact sheet for additional information.

(Posted February 20, 2018)

U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Releases Second Annual Report

The U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking is composed of a diverse panel of human trafficking survivors. The council recently released its second annual report, which highlights its collaboration with federal government agencies to strengthen anti-trafficking policies and programs.

The council’s Victim Services Committee focuses on ensuring that services to trafficking survivors are comprehensive, meet the needs of all victims, and empower survivors. Last year, they met with OVC and other federal agencies to provide input on a new national housing initiative to support human trafficking survivors and to discuss victim identification.

Learn more about the council’s efforts in the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Annual Report 2017.

(Posted January 25, 2018)

Information for Victims of Nonconsensual Pornography

Nonconsensual pornography, also known as “revenge porn,” can have serious consequences for victims. It can lead to lifelong mental health consequences, damaged relationships, and social isolation.

The Federal Trade Commission recently blogged about help available for victims of nonconsensual pornography.

The blog contains links to resources, guidance on how to get images removed from websites and social media, information about current revenge porn laws, and a crisis hotline for victims.

View the Federal Trade Commission’s blog to learn more.

(Posted January 25, 2018)

42 Percent of Violent Victimizations Reported to Police in 2016

The Bureau of Justice Statistics released estimates of crime from the 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).

In 2016, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced 5.7 million violent victimizations, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault. This was a rate of 21.1 violent victimizations per 1,000 persons. An estimated 1.3 percent of U.S. residents experienced one or more violent victimizations in 2016.

The NCVS collects data from residents on crimes both reported and not reported to the police. Fewer than half (42 percent) of the violent victimizations committed in 2016 were reported to police. Aggravated assault (58 percent) and robbery (54 percent) were more likely to be reported to police than simple assault (38 percent) and rape or sexual assault (23 percent). Sixty percent of the 480,940 nonfatal firearm victimizations were reported to police in 2016.

Additionally, in 2016, BJS introduced new areas to the NCVS sample to reflect population changes based on the 2010 Decennial Census and to produce state- and local-level victimization estimates, which will be released in early 2018.

(Posted December 7, 2017)

Recorded Webinars Available to Help Health Providers Serve Victims

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released recorded training webinars for health providers who may come into contact with human trafficking victims. The recorded webinars are part of the HHS SOAR to Health and Wellness training that educates professionals on how to identify, treat, and respond appropriately to potential victims of human trafficking.

(Posted October 12, 2017)

New Resource Helps Child Welfare Caseworkers Identify and Prevent Human Trafficking

The Children’s Bureau, a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, recently released the bulletin, Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Caseworkers.

Children involved with child welfare are at risk for being targeted by traffickers. Therefore, child welfare caseworkers can be an invaluable resource in helping communities respond to the human trafficking of children.

This bulletin explores how child welfare professionals can identify and support children who have been victimized and prevent the most vulnerable youth from becoming future victims. It provides background information for caseworkers, specific strategies they can use in identifying and supporting victims, and tools and resources that will help them in this work.

(Posted September 11, 2017)

New Tools for Financial Caregivers

Millions of Americans are managing money or property for a loved one who is unable to pay bills or make financial decisions. These financial caregivers may be agents under a power of attorney, guardians of property, or other fiduciaries.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Office for Older Americans website provides easy-to-understand guides on managing someone else’s money. The website also offers state-specific guides which provide detailed information on serving older adults and adults with disabilities and protecting these vulnerable populations from fraud and other types of financial abuse.

To help financial caregivers in Georgia, CFPB recently launched a guide with information and resources specific to the State.

Register online for a free webinar on August 22, 2017 to learn more.

(Posted August 17, 2017)

New Report Offers Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits

The National Institute of Justice recently released the report, National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

These best practices were developed by more than 50 national experts. They include 35 recommendations that help provide a roadmap for agencies to develop or advance their policies and protocols for untested sexual assault kits.

The recommendations are rooted in a victim-centric, multidisciplinary approach that encourages victim engagement and increases the potential for legal resolutions.

These best practices provide a roadmap for collecting, transferring, preserving, storing, and analyzing sexual assault kits in order to help improve practices and protocols related to evidence inventory, tracking and audits, and communication systems.

(Posted August 16, 2017)

Majority of Hate Crime Victimizations Go Unreported to Police

U.S. residents experienced an average of 250,000 hate crime victimizations each year from 2004 to 2015 and the majority of these were not reported to police.

During 2011-15, about a third of hate crime victims believed they were targeted because of their ethnicity (35 percent) or gender (29 percent). More than a fifth of victims believed the hate crime was motivated by bias against persons or groups with which they were associated (23 percent) or their sexual orientation (22 percent). Seventeen percent of victims perceived the hate crime was motivated by religious bias and 16 percent thought the bias against them was because of a disability.

Findings are from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey, which collects data on nonfatal crimes both reported and not reported to police. Read more in the BJS report, Hate Crime Victimization, 2004-2015.

You may also learn more about efforts underway at the U.S. Department of Justice to combat hate crime in a recent Speech at the 2017 Hate Crimes Summit by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

(Posted July 3, 2017)

New Toolkit to Support Law Enforcement Responses to Children Exposed to Violence

Released in conjunction with National Police Week, the Enhancing Police Responses to Children Exposed to Violence toolkit is designed to equip law enforcement professionals with trauma-informed, developmentally-appropriate tools to:

• Identify and minimize threats to child safety;
• Foster closer engagement between law enforcement and youth; and
• Maximize both officer safety and positive outcomes for children and families.

Developed with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Yale Child Study Center, the toolkit contains protocols, checklists, and other field-tested and research-informed resources.

View this toolkit online and visit our featured resources page to find additional information designed to help your agency improve its services to victims of crime.

(Posted May 23, 2017)