- OVC's International Leadership Role
- Terrorism
- Oklahoma City Bombing
- Embassy Bombings
- Khobar Towers
- Pan Am Flight 103
- International Trafficking of Women and Children
- Direct Services for Trafficked Victims
- Focus Group on Assisting Trafficked Victims
- Assisting the Reunification of Abducted Children
- Conclusion
As countries and their citizens become connected through tourism, Internet
usage, and international trade, issues of violent crime and victimization become
more visible and raise an international concern and focus. The United States is
one of the leaders in the emerging international victims field. The publication
of the 1982 Final Report of the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime was
a landmark document not only in the U.S., but internationally as well. A number
of other countries created their own task forces based on the American model,
and victims' rights gained visibility in international forums such as the United
Nations. In 1985, the United Nations implemented a Declaration of Basic
Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, and governments
and organizations around the world have responded to the challenge of implementing
the Declaration.
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is responding to crime victims on an
international level. Many victimization issues that OVC is responding to
include the plight of victims of terrorism, commercial exploitation and
international trafficking of women and children, and international child
abduction. OVC has expanded the original scope of its leadership role by
working to improve
coordination between government and
nongovernment agencies involved with international victimization cases and to
improve information sharing and victim assistance worldwide.
OVC's International Leadership Role
Over the last several years, OVC has promoted effective and sensitive victim
rights and services around the world under the authority provided by VOCA and
the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (the Anti-Terrorism Act),
which was signed into law by President Clinton in 1996. The Anti-Terrorism Act
provided a new VOCA eligibility requirement that each State provide compensation
for any resident who is injured or for survivors of any resident killed in a
terrorist attack in a foreign country. OVC continues to coordinate and work
in cooperation with DOJ components, the State Department, the United Nations,
and other international organizations to enhance the integration of crime
victim issues into all international discussions of crime. Several examples of
OVC's efforts in this area include the following:
United Nations Initiative. Since 1996, OVC staff have participated in
the annual United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
in Vienna, Austria. For the past 3 years, the United States has cosponsored
resolutions to foster implementation of the 1985 United Nations Declaration of
Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. OVC has
taken the lead in coordinating the development of a United Nations Handbook
on Justice for Victims and an accompanying Guide for Policymakers on implementing
the principles set forth in the Declaration in countries around the world.
-
Tourist Initiative. International tourists who become victims often
face isolation, culture shock, lack of familiar social supports, travel stress,
and language barriers. In FY 1998, OVC awarded a grant to NOVA, along with an
international advisory committee of representatives from tourist victim
programs throughout the world, to study how communities can improve services
to foreign travelers. To accomplish this goal, NOVA conducted an international
search for promising practices, policies, and procedures for assisting
international tourist victims. Resulting information will be made available
to the international field of victim advocates and allied professionals through a
NOVA database, an OVC bulletin, tourist brochures, and a companion handbook. This
project grew out of the recommendations in New Directions that the United States
help establish "an international network of information dissemination, training,
and technical assistance on victim rights and assistance."
-
International Directories. An increasing number of countries provide
victim compensation to foreign nationals; however, international victimization
poses administrative obstacles both for victims seeking compensation and for
programs providing financial assistance. To inform travelers from all Nations
about benefits that exist in the country they are visiting and how to apply for
them, OVC coordinated with the U.S. Department of State to determine which
countries have crime victim compensation programs and to develop an International
Victim Compensation Program Resource Directory, which is updated annually. Of
the 115 countries that responded to the survey in 1998, 23 countries and the
United States reported that they have established crime victim compensation
programs. These programs are listed in the directory, along with basic eligibility
and application information.
Development of Federal Protocol for Responding to Victims of Terrorism
Abroad. Recent international terrorist attacks against the United States have
illuminated many of the unique and complex problems in coordinating an
appropriate short- and long-term response to victims of terrorism abroad and the
need to develop a Federal protocol for responding to future international
terrorist incidents. Terrorism crimes tend to involve large numbers of victims
and may include employees of various Federal agencies as well as tourists,
business representatives, and foreign nationals. Obtaining critical information
about victims and providing emergency relief and ongoing services is complicated
and difficult. Access to compensation, benefits, and services can depend on
which agencies victims work and their residency status. OVC has taken a leadership
role in coordinating the development of a high-level working group comprised
of representatives from all Cabinet agencies and other agencies with significant
overseas presence or operational responsibilities to crime victims. This
working group is developing a Federal protocol to ensure a more seamless response
to victims in the future.
Terrorism
International crises such as terrorist attacks involve victims and survivors
from many different countries, and local caregivers are sometimes unable to
intervene usefully due to a lack of
education, resources, and language and cultural barriers. Moreover, because of
complicated international investigations which frequently involve multiple
jurisdictions, the rights, needs, and services available to victims of
terrorism may be
overlooked.
Surviving family members whose loved ones were killed abroad by terrorists
in various countries have voiced several concerns about the lack of appropriate
services for victims and victims' families in the aftermath of the incident.
Specifically, they have expressed dissatisfaction with notification procedures
after the death of their loved ones, red tape that made finding out information
about their cases difficult and more painful, lack of regular updates about
the status of their cases from responsible government officials, and the poor
coordination between governmental agencies involved in these cases. Many of
these victim issues are not unique to terrorism abroad but extend to victims
of terrorism within the United States. The following are various incidents of
terrorism and the victim services provided in response to each of these cases
during FYs 19971998.
Oklahoma City Bombing
In FYs 1997 and 1998, OVC tapped its Reserve Fund to help victims attend
the Oklahoma City bombing trials in Denver, Colorado, and to facilitate
courtroom participation by victims who could not attend the trials, providing
them with closed circuit broadcast of the trial proceedings. OVC also
provided ongoing counseling services for victims in Oklahoma City and Denver
and funded temporary staff to handle the additional workload involved with the
two trials in Denver. Other efforts on behalf of Oklahoma City bombing
victims are described below:
-
Colorado/Oklahoma Resource Council (CORC). Antiterrorism funding
from OVC enabled CORCa conglomeration of private organizations in the Denver
areato directly assist the victims and survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing
traveling to Denver to participate in the Federal criminal trials and sentencing
of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. During the two trials and other hearings
in Denver, CORC provided direct services to 437 victims, including lodging,
local transportation, the conduct of "Safe Havens" near the Federal courthouse
to insulate victims attending the trials, and a process for handling emergency
medical and mental health incidents and other victim services. With funding from
OVC, CORC has documented the model it developed for potential application by other
jurisdictions where there is a change of venue and/or a high-profile case
necessitating a coordinated community response.
-
Project Heartland. According to research findings of the Oklahoma
Departments of Health and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, there
is substantial evidence that family members and victims are at the highest
risk for long-term psychological distress after an incident like the Oklahoma
City bombing. Created in May 1995 by the Department of Mental Health and
Substance Abuse Services with funding support from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Project Heartland has served as the principal mental health
service provider for victims and survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Project Heartland, through the VOCA victim assistance program, also provided
support for crisis
counseling activities at the "Safe Havens" in Oklahoma City and in Denver
during the trial.
-
Critical Incident Working Group, Inc. Because of the
unusual combination
of duration, horror, danger, and frustration resulting from the high fatality
rate in the Oklahoma City bombing, all survivors, rescue workers, and victims'
family members required careful monitoring in anticipation of any treatment
needs. Critical Incident Workshop Group, Inc., was
created to provide and coordinate victim services that include workshops,
stress management and suicide intervention workshops, and marriage counseling
retreats for the individuals involved in the rescue effort who may need
counseling or related services 2 to 5 years following the event.
Surviving family members whose loved ones were killed abroad by terrorists
in various countries have voiced several concerns about the lack of
appropriate services for victims and victims' families in the aftermath
of the incident.
|
Embassy Bombings
In the aftermath of the simultaneous bombings of two U.S. Embassies in
Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998, OVC worked with many different
Federal agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Justice; the Office of Personnel Management;
the Agency for International Development; and the Central Intelligence
Agency, to ensure that information, benefits, and services were available
to the victims of those attacks. In FYs 19971998, OVC also funded a
victim specialist position at the U.S. Department of State to serve as
liaison to the victims and surviving family members of the Americans
killed in the bombings.
Khobar Towers
Following the bombing of Khobar Towers in Dharain, Saudi Arabia, OVC used
its authority under the Anti-Terrorism Act to ensure that the survivors of
the 19 military service members killed were aware of compensation and
assistance benefits. In December 1997, OVC established a
1800 line for
families and other victims in the U.S. Attorney's office in the District of
Columbia to provide current information about the case investigation and
the status of the alleged terrorists.
OVC is working with the State Department and other Federal agencies: representatives
of State compensation programs, and victims of terrorism to develop a strategy
for providing more timely and effective assistance to victims of terrorism
abroad.
|
Pan Am Flight 103
At the end of FY 98, OVC began working with Scottish officials, State
Department representatives, DOJ officials, and others to secure services
for the families of victims of Pan Am Flight 103 as they prepare for
the upcoming trial in the Netherlands. The greatest concern at this point
following the tragedy, which occurred on December 21, 1988, is providing
the victims the opportunity to fully participate in the trial in accordance
with the Attorney General's Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance.
In addition, OVC is using its Anti-Terrorism Act authority and resources
to support needed services such as mental health counseling for the
surviving family members.
With the recent experience of Khobar Towers, accommodating Pan Am Flight
103 families of
victims for the trial, and the Embassy bombings, current Federal and State
legislation does not adequately address the needs of Americans who are
victims of terrorism and mass violence crimes that occur outside the
borders of the United States. Victims of these crimes come from many
different States, and victims of the same crime may receive disparate
treatment depending on their State of residence. To more effectively meet
the needs of these victims, a centralized coordination of information and
resources on the Federal level is needed. OVC is working with the State
Department and other Federal agencies, representatives of State compensation
programs, and
victims of terrorism to develop a strategy for providing more timely and
effective assistance to victims of terrorism abroad. This proposed strategy
includes creating an international terrorism victims division within OVC
and a special compensation program for victims of terrorism abroad.
International Trafficking of Women and Children
OVC is working in a number of areas to address the needs of victims who
are trafficked across U.S. borders for exploitative purposes. OVC staff are
working on issues related to the international trafficking of women and
children. In addition, OVC has undertaken the following projects.
Direct Services for Trafficked Victims
In FY 1997, OVC funded the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI)
to provide direct services to Asian women and children trafficked and held
as garment or sex industry workers. FASGI worked to assist women in
re-establishing healthy and normal lives and ensure their availability as
effective material witnesses while reducing the costs to taxpayers and
providing a model that can be used in other regions of the country. The
project developed guidelines for use by the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) and the U.S. Courts in releasing trafficked
women to community care and developed a preliminary curriculum for a
continuum of care, called "Southeast Asia Women in Transition."
Focus Group on Assisting Trafficked Victims
In June 1998, OVC convened a focus group on assistance and outreach to victims
of international trafficking. The victimization that flows from such trafficking
is significant, yet for many reasons, these victims are largely without services.
The purpose of the focus group was to gather views about how best to meet the
myriad needs of victims of international trafficking, including those who have
been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, slave labor, and other
unlawful purposes. Victim service providers, immigrant rights advocates, and
others who come directly in contact with trafficked victims attended the
meeting. In addition, representatives from the INS, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Departments of State and Labor attended the meeting.
Recommendations were made which OVC has incorporated in program development.
Assisting the Reunification of Abducted Children
In October 1996, OVC entered into an agreement with the International
Division of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
to make funding available, along with guidelines for its use, for the cost
of reunification of the victim parent with the family-abducted children in
the foreign country and return to the United States. Under OVC's
reunification program, 14 children have been reunited with their families in
the United States. In one case, an American child was returned home after
being abandoned in a Middle East refugee camp. In another recovery, a child
missing for 3 years was located in the foster care system of an African
Nation. OVC funding is provided to those American parents who could not
otherwise afford the expenses of recovering their children overseas. In FY
1999, OVC and NCMEC expanded the guidelines to allow for parents to travel
abroad to attend custodial hearings in The Hague Convention countries.
In the search for their missing children, many parents exhaust their
life savings on telephone calls, attorneys, and private investigators. It
is estimated that 19 children are abducted from the United States or
illegally retained in foreign countries each week. The International Child
Abduction and Remedies Act (42 U.S.C. 11601) implemented the United States'
ratification of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International
Child Abduction. The Hague Convention provides for the prompt return of
wrongfully removed or retained children to the country of habitual residence
but governs only those cases involving countries that have become partners
in The Hague Convention. However, funding was not provided to pay for the
reunification process.
Conclusion
OVC continues to work toward improving services for crime victims and
raising public awareness of crime victim issues internationally. Each year,
OVC hosts dozens of visitors from around the world who are interested in
victim assistance efforts in the United States. Visits have included officials
from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, The
Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa, and Turkey. OVC also updates victim
assistance advocates worldwide through its National Victim Assistance Academy,
which has trained students from Australia, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Rwanda,
and South Africa. As OVC moved into FY 1999, it conducted a focus group with
the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) to explore ways that OVC can work
with CVT to educate victim service providers about the unique needs of
vulnerable immigrant victims
of politically motivated torture. CVT has conducted several training workshops
for Federal law enforcement personnel and is exploring avenues to train victim
service providers around the country. Also, OVC cosponsored with four other
DOJ agencies, a series of five regional symposia on restorative justice. One
was held in November 1998, and additional conferences are scheduled through
2002. The conference series grew out of a United Nations working group on
restorative justice. Also in FY 1999, OVC worked with the U.S. Department of
Justice Worker Exploitation Task Force, various service providers throughout
the country, and numerous nongovernmental organizations to develop a training
video for Federal law enforcement personnel on the issues facing victims of
trafficking. These are only some of the efforts extending beyond FY 1998
that OVC is making in the international arena. Crime victim issues are not
confined to political boundaries, and therefore OVC will continue to work
within the international community to improve awareness of and responsiveness
to victims' rights and needs and to further the integration of crime victim
issues into all international discussions of crime.