Did You Know?
According to the 2015 Civil Legal Needs Study, low-income Washingtonians who have suffered domestic violence or been a victim of sexual assault experience an average of 19.7 legal problems per household, twice the average experienced by the general low-income population (link to the 2015 legal needs study)
Overview
The VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) program supports essential civil legal services for victims and survivors of crime throughout Washington State. Experiencing harm from crime—including domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, trafficking, consumer fraud, mass violence, and other offenses—often results in complex civil legal challenges or the need for legal remedies. VOCA-funded legal aid providers offer a broad range of services to address these needs, including help with protection orders, housing, public benefits, family law matters, immigration, and other civil legal issues.
Services are delivered through a coordinated, statewide network of legal aid organizations in alignment with the Office of Civil Legal Aid’s (OCLA) Integrated Civil Legal Aid Delivery Plan. The program is funded through an interagency agreement with the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA), which administers the state’s VOCA plan.
Program History
In 2016, the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) created the Integrated Civil Legal Aid to Crime Victims Program to address the urgent and often overlooked civil legal needs of crime victims. This effort was driven by findings from the 2015 Civil Legal Needs Study, which showed that victims of crime experience civil legal problems—such as threats to housing, financial security, immigration status, and access to essential services—at significantly higher rates than the general population.
Recognizing the critical role civil legal aid plays in supporting victim recovery and stability, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA)—the state administering agency for federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds—incorporated civil legal aid as a formal component of Washington’s VOCA State Plan for Services to Crime Victims. As part of this plan, OCVA entered into an interagency agreement with OCLA to fund the program using VOCA resources.
The program officially launched in October 2016, with OCLA distributing funds to a network of civil legal aid providers experienced in assisting crime victims. These providers work in coordination with first responders, including law enforcement, prosecutors, community advocates, and service organizations, to ensure timely and holistic legal support for victims across the state.
Over time, federal VOCA funding has fluctuated, creating challenges in sustaining essential victim services. In response, OCVA now administers a combination of federal and state funds to support its VOCA State Plan, helping to maintain the availability of comprehensive services—such as civil legal aid—to crime victims throughout Washington.
Who We Fund
Current contractors include:
- King County Bar Association
- Northwest Justice Project
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Program
- Sexual Violence Law Center
- Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers