The Office of Victims Advocacy (OVA) was formally established in 1985 to provide enhanced assistance to crime victims, as mandated by
KRS 421.500, the Victims' Bill of Rights. OVA staff represent the Attorney General's Office throughout the state, providing a direct conduit with local victim service organizations to promote awareness of victims' rights.
What does the Office of Victims Advocacy do?
With victims at the core of our work, we strive to:
- Assist victims and their families by explaining their rights and helping them get the support they need to recover from the trauma of crime.
- Improve victim-centered, trauma-informed investigation and prosecution by providing training, resources and technical assistance to law enforcement and prosecutors.
- Strengthen victim service systems by providing training, legislative and research services, educational materials, project development, and technical assistance.
Victim-Centered Advocacy
With a victim-centered approach, OVA seeks to minimize traumatization associated with the criminal justice process by providing the support of skilled victim advocates and experienced staff.
Advocacy – Conflict Cases
Sometimes the local Commonwealth's Attorney is unable to prosecute a case due to conflict of interest. In these cases, the Attorney General (via the Office of Special Prosecutions) will prosecute the case. Advocates can provide:
- Information on the criminal justice system and notification of court proceedings
- Accompaniment to court proceedings and attorney interviews
- Assistance filing for victim compensation and restitution
- Referrals to community resources
- Guidance with victim impact statements
Advocacy – Cases on Appeal
The Attorney General handles all appeals in criminal cases. OVA works directly with victims with cases on appeal providing:
- Notification to victims of the right to be present at relevant proceedings
- Accompaniment to court proceedings
- Explanation of the victim's role in the judicial process
- Explanation of the courts' decisions
Resources and Referrals
The Office of Victims Advocacy maintains a crime victim resource list of victim service agencies and organizations. We use this list to make suitable referrals for victims who can best be served by other agencies.
Trauma-Informed Policies
Becoming a trauma-informed agency means making a commitment to changing the policies, practices, and culture of an entire organization. OVA works with other human service providers, government agencies, and the legislature, to model best practices in trauma-informed service delivery.
Education and Training
OVA is committed to enhancing efforts that serve victims directly. We provide specialized professional development training to advocates, law enforcement, and prosecutors to improve their response to victims.
Technical Support
OVA is dedicated to continuously improving response to crime victims by identifying emerging needs and gaps in existing services, enhancing the skills and abilities of service providers to better meet these needs, and promoting greater public awareness of the issues victims face. OVA legal and professional staff provide expertise in sexual assault, violence against women prosecution, child abuse, human trafficking, and related crimes.
SAKI Taskforce
The SAKI Multidisciplinary Taskforce consists of law enforcement, prosecutors, victim service providers, SANEs, and other multi-disciplinary professionals, and was developed as part of the SAKI 2017 and 2019 SAKI grant projects. To learn more about the SAKI Taskforce, click here.