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News & Features

Announcements

OVC awards a $2.9 million, 3-year grant to the Colorado Department of Public Safety to support the victims of the shooting in Aurora, Colorado that took place on July 20, 2012. Through OVC’s Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program, the Colorado Department of Public Safety will provide funding to other Colorado agencies, including the 18th District Attorney’s Office, Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, Aurora Mental Health Center, Denver and Aurora Police Departments, and Jefferson and Arapahoe County Sheriffs’ Departments, to support more than 1,500 crime victims. This includes the 12 killed, 69 wounded and their families, other people in the theater complex at that time, people evacuated from an apartment complex where explosive devices were discovered, and first responders to the emergency.

Related reading:

• OVC’s Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program brochure (PDF 345 kb)
  
  
• Support for Colorado Shooting Victims, a resource list of programs and publications for victims and their families, and the victim service providers that are assisting them.

(Posted February 13, 2013)

Watch Grant Requirements and Measuring Success, the final two webinars in the OVC Discretionary Grantee Orientation Series.

On December 13, 2012, OVC hosted the third webinar, Grant Requirements, during which participants learned about progress reports, details on special conditions, the Grants Management System, and more critical topics related to managing the award. This webinar also highlighted resources available to grantees through the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center and the OVC Resource Center. If you missed this event or simply wish to watch it again, you may view this webinar online. Please be sure to complete the evaluation.

On January 10, 2013, OVC hosted its fourth and final webinar, Measuring Success, about performance measures of the award, evaluating the program, and closeout instructions. After viewing the webinar, please complete the evaluation.

The first 2 Webinars in this series have been posted to OVC.gov and cover Getting Started and Financial and Legal Responsibilities. (Posted February 7, 2013)

The first National Coordination Committee (Committee) meeting for the American Indian/ Alaska Native Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner—Sexual Assault Response Team Initiative preceded the 13th National Indian Nations Conference. On December 4–5, 2012, 14 members of the Committee met at the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation to discuss and develop formal recommendations to present to OVC. The committee’s work will inform OVC and its federal, tribal, and nongovernmental partners of the existing resources, challenges, and gaps related to sexual violence response. The Committee also will make recommendations for funding, training, and policies related to sexual violence service provision in AI/AN communities.

Leaders from OVC, the Indian Health Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation provided welcoming remarks, which set the stage for the 2-day working meeting. Several themes emerged early on, including the need for collaboration and system linkages—at community, tribal, state, and federal levels; systematic delivery of professional training within and across disciplines; and development of solutions based on diverse perspectives.

Sarah Deer, Committee Chair, framed the issues as "spiritual survival." She commented, "This represents an historic moment. Decades, perhaps centuries of grassroots work has been done within tribal communities. Now there is formal recognition that the coordination of federal and tribal efforts is a national priority." Read what other participants had to say during the meeting:

• "Collaboration is a traditional value. We all work together; it’s what we do naturally. Everything we do has an impact on those around us because we’re all connected." – Peggy L. Bird, Chief Judge of the Laguna Pueblo Court and National American Indian Court Judges Association Representative
  
  
• "As mothers, daughters, aunties—it is our responsibility to give voice to our children and women." – Linda Logan, Executive Director of the Native American Children’s Alliance
  
  
• "Tribal systems of justice existed prior to the Constitution of the United States. Restorative justice approaches must be integrated into the work of tribal justice systems today" – Geri Wisner-Foley, Tribal Prosecutor and Chief of Staff for the Native American Children’s Alliance

(Posted February 7, 2013)

One discretionary grant of $150,000 will be awarded to plan and implement the National Joint Training Conference for VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators, to be held in 2014. Apply by March 18, 2013. (Posted January 30, 2013)

On January 30, 2013, hear Tony West, Acting Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, address participants at Transforming the Coalition, an anti-human trafficking symposium. In recognition of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this symposium, hosted by Deloitte Consulting LLP and Georgetown University, will provide a forum for discussing immigration-related law enforcement challenges through the lens of anti-human trafficking. Join government, academic, not for profit, and business leaders for discussions about trends, challenges, new technologies, and current communication capabilities, such as data analytics and supply chain risk management, which can assist in the fight against human trafficking.

Date:	January 30, 2013
Time:	Registration and Refreshments (8:30 to 9:00 a.m.) Program (9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)
Where:	Georgetown University Bunn Intercultural Center Auditorium 37th and O Streets NW Washington, DC 20057

Keynote speakers include:

• Tony West, Acting Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
• John Morton, Director, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Luis CdeBaca, Ambassador at Large, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons,  U.S. Department of State
• Alice Hill, Senior Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Mira Sorvino, Academy Award-winning actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador on Human Trafficking

Read more about this event and register now. For questions about the event, please contact Bradley Saull at 571–814–6725 or bsaull@deloitte.com, or Abbie Taylor at 202–687–2155 or act64@georgetown.edu. (Posted January 24, 2013)

In commemoration of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, OVC and OJJDP presented a Web Forum discussion on Providing Services to Runaway Youth and Victims of Human Trafficking with guest hosts Danny Stewart and Fiona Mason. (Posted January 23, 2013)

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) are pleased to announce the release of a Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 competitive solicitation titled Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking. This FY 2013 program will fund Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force sites that take a comprehensive approach to combating all forms of trafficking—sex trafficking and labor trafficking of foreign nationals and U.S. citizens (male and female, adults and minors). Cooperative agreements of up to $500,000 are expected to be awarded. At each selected site, two awards will be made. Awards will be made by BJA to support law enforcement agencies to coordinate the goals, objectives, and activities of the entire task force in close collaboration with the local U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and victim service provider partner. Awards will be made by OVC to support a victim service organization to coordinate the provision of a comprehensive array of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to all trafficking victims identified within the geographic area impacted by the task force. (Posted January 18, 2013)

One cooperative agreement of $350,000 will be awarded to produce the 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) Resource Guide, which will serve as a resource for the victims field to support efforts to heighten the public’s awareness of crime victim issues nationwide during NCVRW in April 2014, and throughout the year. Apply by March 13, 2013. (Posted January 18, 2013)

Watch Financial and Legal Responsibilities, a webinar focused on the financial management and legal responsibilities of OVC discretionary grantees. On November 29, 2012, OVC hosted its second webinar in the 2012 OVC Discretionary Grantee Orientation Series for OVC grantees. Participants heard from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer about allowable costs and withholdings, the top 10 audit findings, financial reports, conference cost approvals and reports and the Office of the General Counsel on their legal grant responsibilities. After viewing the webinar, please complete the evaluation. (Posted December 21, 2012)

OVC and BJA have launched a Directory of Training and Technical Assistance Resources for Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces and Service Providers. The directory includes "distance learning," "in-person training" and "training by request" opportunities. It is an excellent resource for practitioners and task forces actively working in the field to expand and enhance their knowledge. (Posted December 14, 2012)

On December 5, guest hosts Christopher Grant and Regina Sobieski presented an OVC Web Forum discussion on best practices for working with victims of gang violence. Read the questions and answers from the discussion and share your own comments. (Posted December 6, 2012)

On November 30, 2012, OVC’s Acting Director, Joye Frost, participated in a roundtable discussion on provision of shelter and services for victims and survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking. Shared Hope International, ECPAT USA, and the Protection Project at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, in coordination with Representatives Ted Poe and Jim Costa, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Victims’ Rights, and Representatives Cynthia Lummis and Gwen Moore, Co-Chairs, and Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Vice-Chairs, of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, are hosting Identifying Sustainable Resources for Shelter and Restorative Care for Victims of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. During the webcast, the following experts in policy, philanthropy, and provision of restorative services were scheduled to address restoration of children victimized by domestic minor sex trafficking—

• Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX)
• Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA) (invited)
• Congresswoman Linda Smith (U.S. Congress 1995-99), Founder and President, Shared Hope International
• Deborah Richardson, Executive Vice President, Center for Civil and Human Rights, formerly Chief Program Officer at the Women’s Funding Network, past-President of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation
• Lee Roper-Batker, President, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
• Vednita Carter, Founder and Executive Director, Breaking Free
• Alex Trouteaud, PhD, Harold and Kayrita Anderson Family Foundation
• Joye Frost, Acting Director, Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Dept. of Justice

This briefing took place in Washington, D.C. during the National Colloquium: Shelter and Services Evaluation for Action event. The day-long colloquium was webcast live on the Shared Hope International Web site. (Posted December 3, 2012)

OVC, the Office on Violence Against Women, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services partnered with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to conduct a forum that addressed the topic of enhancing criminal investigations of campus sex crimes.

Discussion topics included—

• Identified standards and existing protocols.
• Best practices in campus sexual violence investigations.
• Clery Act requirements and other federal legislation.
• The April 4, 2011 OCR letter that provides guidance regarding federal Title IX requirements related to sexual violence.

For details regarding the discussion and a list of resources for those working to investigate sex crimes, read the Promoting Effective Criminal Investigations of Campus Sex Crimes summary report. (Posted November 12, 2012)

In fiscal year 2012, OVC awarded more than $29 million in discretionary funds. For information about OVC’s FY 2012 discretionary grantees, view OVC’s searchable grantee table, where grantees are listed by their—

• Grant program and area that the grantee will serve.
• Award amount and grant duration.

(Posted November 2, 2012)