National Crime Victims' Rights Week 2023, April 23-29

Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.

As we commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we recognize the unique damage inflicted by hate crimes. Hate crimes can destroy lives and families, and damage the communities where they occur. The emotional and psychological impact of hate crimes affect not only the victims, but entire communities that share the victims’ characteristics or heritage.

Centering the Voices of Hate Crime Victims and Survivors

This year’s theme — Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change. — calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and create environments where they have confidence in being heard, believed, and supported. Steps the Justice Department is taking to center these voices include:

• Amplifying victim and survivor voices through our nationwide United Against Hate community outreach program. Through the program’s use of video clips featuring real stories, law enforcement and community participants can learn about the impact of hate crimes and bias incidents on communities, helping to build trust.
• Elevating victim and survivor stories from our October 2021 Confronting Hate virtual event, which brought together over 1,000 community leaders, advocates, law enforcement officials, and government colleagues to explore victim and survivor experiences, along with challenges and successful practices in fighting hate.
• Focusing deeply on how we can respond more effectively to a victim’s needs, including needs unique to those who have experienced hate crimes, and identifying ways to provide victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive help. See Justice Department Updates Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance | OPA | Department of Justice; and The Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance 2022 (effective March 2023).

Help is Available: Learning About Resources for Hate Crimes Victims and Survivors

The VictimConnect Resource Center (VictimConnect) is an Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)-funded referral helpline where victims of any crime, including hate crimes, can learn about their rights and options. VictimConnect is part of the National Center for Victims of Crime.

• Through VictimConnect, crime victims have direct access to a team of trained specialists via a confidential hotline (available by call or text at 1-855-484-2846) and online chat function. This team gives tailored resources and referrals to empower crime victims to regain control, navigate their options, and determine their next steps.
• Victim Connect launched a Resource Map in September 2022. The Resource Map is a searchable tool that shows over 600 local and national resources for crime victims. In 2021 and 2022, Victim Connect served over 13,000 survivors.

The Justice Department’s OVC's website offers a comprehensive set of resources to assist victims, including victims of hate crimes.

• Help for Victims. This webpage sets out resources that may assist victims of hate crimes.
• Directory of Crime Victim Services. This directory is designed to help crime victims and service providers find non-emergency crime victim service agencies in the United States and abroad.
• Resources for the Victims of Recent Mass Violence Incidents. This collection of site-specific information includes links to Federal and local crisis lines and victim compensation funds that may help victims and their families, along with first responders and other professionals.
• OVC Grant Solicitation: Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines program. OVC will award grants to implement the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines program. The hotlines funded under this program are intended to support victims who might be reluctant to report hate crimes to law enforcement. OVC also seeks applications from technical assistance providers to support award recipients under this program.

Elevating Survivor Voices: Join National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2023 Events

• Register for OVC’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Candlelight Vigil on April 26, 2023, from 7 to 8 p.m. ET, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
• Use OVC’s resource guide, including outreach tools, sample materials, and web and social media artwork, to help raise awareness of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.