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Victim Rights and Services

A Conversation With Nancy Blaney: Shelter Services for Survivors and Their Companion Animals

October 2023
Series
Justice Today Podcast
Learn how the need for secure housing for victims of crime and their companion animals led to the creation of the Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program. Office for Victims of Crime Director Kristina Rose and Nancy Blaney, Director of Government Affairs at the Animal Welfare Institute, speak about how this program is ensuring that victims and their pets can access shelter services.

Tribal Victim Services Training and Technical Assistance (T-VSTTA)

OVC-funded Tribal Victim Services Training and Technical Assistance (T-VSTTA, pronounced t-vista) is a capacity-building program for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. T-VSTTA provides tailored, victim-centered, and trauma-informed training and technical assistance to grantees and potential grantees as they develop sustainable victim services programs.

iMPRoVE (Measures for Providers Responding to Victimization Experiences)

This easy-to-use tool can help organizations serving crime victims and survivors to measure service quality and outcomes. Use this free platform to collect, understand, and analyze the ways your program affects those you serve. RTI International and its partners manage the iMPRoVE project with support from OVC, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office on Violence Against Women.

SurvivorSpace

SurvivorSpace offers self-care and resiliency tips and tools for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. Funded by OVC through a grant to the Zero Abuse Project, this website is a safe space for survivors informed by survivors. It offers visitors an opportunity to explore their options, use interactive tools to help them on their healing journey, connect with others, and more.

The National Census of Victim Service Providers: Data, Resources, and Implications for Practitioners

March 2023
This webinar provides an overview of the National Census of Victim Service Providers (NCVS) and a demonstration of recently released interactive maps analyzing the 2017 data at the county level. Learn the importance of these data to the victim services field, how they can be used to understand the current landscape of victim services across the country, and characteristics of victim service providers.

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Sergio's Story: A Journey Through (and Beyond) the Legal System Audiobook

March 2023
Series
Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials: Human Trafficking Audiobooks

Sergio’s Story describes the experience of a young boy who was a victim of labor trafficking and is part of a federal case.

The story follows Sergio as he shares his experiences with a trusted adult, meets with a victim advocate in the prosecutor’s office who supported him as he navigated the criminal legal system, and receives support from family and a caseworker.

Throughout the audiobook, Sergio and anyone following his story, learns some techniques to help cope with strong feelings.

Zoe's Story: A Journey Through (and Beyond) the Legal System Audiobook

March 2023
Series
Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials: Human Trafficking Audiobooks

Zoe’s Story shares the experiences of a young girl who was sex trafficked and presents in court as a defendant.

This graphic novel follows Zoe as she—

  • shares her story with a lawyer and social worker after she is arrested,
  • learns that someone she cared about was doing something illegal, and
  • engages with a survivor-led support group that offers a safe space to discuss her feelings about the case and the new terms she’s hearing, like “victim” and “survivor.”

Throughout the audiobook, Zoe and anyone following her story, learns some techniques to help cope with strong feelings.

View a New Guide to Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking

This January marks 20 years of OVC’s anti-trafficking efforts. In recognition of these efforts, OVC has released a Commemoration Guide to support the field in its efforts to raise awareness for human trafficking victims’ rights and services.