In collaboration with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Urban Institute evaluated the implementation of the VictimConnect Resource Center between 2023 and 2025 with funding from the National Institute of Justice. We surveyed nearly 1,000 visitors, observed over 350 interactions between visitors and hotline staff, interviewed staff and partners, and analyzed three years of hotline data. This report summarizes our evaluation and presents results.

Why This Matters

VictimConnect is the only national helpline serving all crime victims by providing emotional support, information, and referrals. These services are offered through a website and a hotline available by phone, online chat, and text messaging, which are operated by trained staff called victim assistance specialists (VAS). In 2023 and 2024, VictimConnect received over 1,400 webpage views per day on average and served over 30,000 helpline visitors from all backgrounds and every state across the United States. Findings provide helpful insights for service providers, funders, and policymakers into how national hotline operations serve crime victims and their loved ones.

Key Takeaways

Our goal was to answer four key questions about service access, delivery, protections, and efficiency while understanding to what extent VictimConnect was achieving the activities, outputs, and immediate outcomes they outlined in their logic model. The data led us to the following overall conclusions:

1. VictimConnect increased access to victim services by offering accessible modes of technology, reaching victims from a range of backgrounds, and referring victims to relevant services.
2. VictimConnect improved delivery of victim services by operating reliable services as intended through its four technological modalities, including by expanding service availability to 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
3. VictimConnect’s platform and VAS behavior protect victims’ and their loved ones’ right to anonymity and confidentiality.
4. VictimConnect strengthened the efficiency of its own services by adequately preparing VAS to successfully interact with visitors and the efficiency of external victim services by managing the National Hotline Consortium.

These findings also led to several important takeaways for technology-based helplines and the broader field of victim services.

• There is a clear need for 24/7 services and multiple modes of connection that are accessible, safe, private, and easy to use.
• Programs should encourage victims to connect with trained staff to maximize benefits and positive experiences but also make information available online.
• Victims benefit from comprehensive trauma-informed approaches and a simplified service model that does not ask a lot from victims.
• Expanding referral options for specific underserved victimization experiences, particularly stalking, non-sexual harassment, and gang stalking, will fill gaps in services and reduce challenging interactions for hotline staff.
• Warm transfers, cross-training between organizations, and maintained internal resource directories will improve the accuracy and efficiency of the information and referrals provided.
• Increased presence at community events, targeted outreach to hard-to-reach populations, and state-level or justice system partnerships will help build awareness of hotline services.
• Programs and funders should invest in regular performance assessment and internal data tracking to identify trends and needs.