ByLearn All About Relocation Funds for Domestic Violence Victims
High relocation costs are usually among the main reasons why most domestic violence victims stay with their abusers. Not many people know that most states in the U.S. have relocation funds for domestic violence victims and various crime victims compensation programs. These programs provide financial assistance to anyone who feels threatened in their own home.
Are you a victim of a violent crime who doesn’t have adequate financial support? and apply for a crime victims compensation program in Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, or any other state in a few clicks!
What Are Relocation Funds for Victims of Domestic Violence?
Relocation funds cover the costs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other individuals who need to escape from their homes. These expenses usually include:
- Temporary or permanent housing
- Two to three months of rent
- Utility costs
- Clothes, bedding, and other items necessary for living
- Food
- Gas
- Professional moving companies’ fees
The compensable amounts for relocation expenses range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the state’s program budget. While some states—including Florida, Ohio, and California—have separate relocation programs for domestic violence victims, most states cover relocation costs through their:
- Funds for violent crime victims (usually called crime victims compensation programs)
- Domestic violence victim compensation programs
All domestic violence shelters and organizations usually receive money from the following sources:
- Offender fees and fines
- Donations
- Emergency funds for domestic violence victims, such as:
- Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Fund
- Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Fund
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Domestic Violence Housing Program
- Allstate, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV), and similar organizations
Who Is Eligible To Apply for Crime Victims Compensation for Relocation?
You will get domestic violence crime victims compensation for relocation if you:
- Have proof that you’re a victim of domestic violence
- Reported the crime to the police within the time limit imposed by your state
- Cooperate with law enforcement authorities
- Apply for the relocation or crime victims compensation program within a certain period (usually between one and three years, depending on the state)
Primary victims aren’t the only ones that are eligible for domestic violence compensation. Children who witnessed the crime—also known as secondary victims—will also be covered by the program.
What Other Costs Are Covered by Domestic Violence Compensation?
Besides covering relocation expenses, domestic violence and crime victims compensation programs also provide financial assistance for other crime-related costs, such as:
| Other Compensable Costs | Description |
| Medical expenses | Victims who suffered injuries caused by domestic violence can get compensation for medical and dental:
|
| Mental health counseling | Primary and secondary victims who suffered mental trauma due to domestic violence might be granted compensation for a number of sessions with a licensed professional |
| Travel expenses | If victims need to travel for medical treatment or court dates, the program might cover their travel costs. Not all programs offer this benefit |
| School supplies | Programs in some states cover the costs of school supplies for domestic violence victims who have kids |
| Lost wages | Victims who can’t work because of crime-related injuries could receive reimbursement for the lost salaries |
The table isn’t complete—it contains only the common compensable costs. Each state has different rules and regulations regarding its crime victims compensation program. You should contact the appropriate office to check which expenses a certain program covers.
How To Apply for Crime Victims Compensation for Relocation
While any non-governmental organization dedicated to helping domestic violence victims will take you in right away, you still have to apply for domestic violence compensation. The application process will depend on the rules of your state’s program. The workers at the shelter you arrive to should provide all the necessary details. You will probably have to apply online or by sending the application form and other required documents via mail.
Victims aren’t the only ones who can apply for the program. In certain situations, a family member can file an application on the victim’s behalf with the proper documentation.
DoNotPay Helps You Apply for Any Crime Victims Compensation Program in a Jiffy!
If you find the application process for crime victims compensation programs tedious, you’re not alone. Most violent crime victims avoid applying because they feel overwhelmed by confusing application forms. Some people don’t even know that they’re eligible to get reimbursement because their state’s official websites provide incomplete information about the programs available.
DoNotPay’s handy product enables you to apply for crime victims compensation for domestic violence or any other violent crime—including the 9/11 attack—in less than five minutes. If you’d like to file your application for relocation compensation as effortlessly as possible, and follow these steps:
- Open our Compensation for Crime Victims feature
- Indicate whether you’re the victim or a family member of the victim
- Answer our questions regarding the crime and your expenses
- Verify your signature
We will complete all the necessary forms and send them to the right office in your state.
DoNotPay can assist you in applying for crime victims compensation programs in any state, including:
Clear Your Schedule With the Help of DoNotPay
DoNotPay is renowned for making our users' lives infinitely easier. Not only can we root out unwanted subscriptions for you—you don't need to do it manually one by one any longer—but we can unsubscribe you from unwanted email and snail mail lists.
Fire up our app and let it navigate the phone tree instead of you or use it to make a DMV appointment at your earliest convenience. Forget about googling clinical trials near you—DoNotPay can sort them out according to your needs and their individual eligibility criteria.
We can fill out the paperwork that you need to file at your local small claims court to initiate a dispute. You can work around the U.S. penal system and have DoNotPay locate an imprisoned loved one instead of you trying to reach individual prisons attempting to do it yourself.
You don't need to go to great lengths to get in touch with a counselor to sign your college fee waiver either—DoNotPay does it for you and then forwards the necessary documents on your behalf.
DoNotPay Never Ceases To Amaze
Where there's one useful feature, there are nifty features galore!
Use our Virtual Credit Card to sign up for free trials and stop robocalls and spam text messages from reaching your phone. If you feel a free trial unrightfully turned into an expensive paid membership, we can help you request a refund or chargeback for the inconvenience.
We can further assist you in exercising your consumer rights by making a warranty claim in your place and verifying your online accounts with temporary phone numbers.
We can also break down the Freedom of Information Act for you and introduce you to online fax options and property tax reductions.