This 2020 Annual Report of the VictimConnect Resource Center (VCRC), a program of the National Center for Victims of Crime, includes a review of the challenges and unprecedented changes in victim services under conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ongoing funding and support for the VCRC is received from the U.S. Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The VCRC aims to provide emotional support, information, and referrals for crime victims, as well as training for those who serve victims. Emotional support is trauma-informed, culturally informed, strength-based, and survivor-centered. Information services address victims’ rights, safety planning, crime reporting, systems processes, and identity theft recovery. Referrals are provided to individual victims and national, local, and tribal entities that serve crime victims. In 2020, the VCRC served just over 10,513 visitors. During the pandemic, crime and services for crime victims were impacted by economic instability, stay-at-home orders, and isolation. Many of these factors increased the risk for family violence. In 2020, VCRC staff has sought to maintain core services for visitors during the pandemic. Its support for victims has included conversation and assistance by phone, text, or chat. Information was provided to 235,206 website visitors. The VCRC became fully remote in March 2020 and provided virtual training to seven Victim Assistance Specialists (VASs). System upgrades were performed to ensure quality control in remote environments. A volunteer program was developed, and the first five volunteers were trained remotely. Support was received from the Urban Institute in developing an evaluation of VCRC operations. This report provides data on the demographics of the visitors supported in 2020, their locations, crimes experienced, services sought, and services provided. Information is also provided on the goals and organization of the National Hotline Consortium. Tables, figures, and 4 references