Thursday, March 28, 2024

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week begins Sunday, April 24

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National Crime Victims’ Rights Week begins Sunday, April 24, and is a time to honor victims and the advocates of victims’ rights. This year’s theme — Rights, Access, Equity, for all victims-enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.

For victims, Rights, Access and Equity for the future means confronting many challenges. After a crime, victims need to know what rights and resources they can count on. They may need funds to bury a loved one or pay medical bills. They may want information on the criminal justice process, their rights to be present or heard in court, and to be notified about court proceedings and offenders’ whereabouts. Yet many victims do not find the help they need.

For victim advocates, Rights, Access, and Equity — particularly in these financially stressed times — means finding ways to do more with less. It means locating recourses for victims who want them and helping new victims. Reshaping the future requires meeting present and emerging challenges.

There was a time, not too many years ago, when victims had no voice in the criminal justice system — when murder victims’ families were excluded from courtrooms and assault victims paid all their own medical bills. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week honors the victims and advocates who confront such injustices and helped produce a nationwide system of victim compensation and victims’ rights. It also reminds us that failures to enforce these laws or to fund programs for victims jeopardize the success of these reforms.

Coryell County will observe National Crime Victims’’ Rights Week with special activities from April 24-30. These activities will include a ribbon campaign and brownies for the brave, to show appreciation to local law enforcement, as well as information packets that will be given out in local communities.

Community members can participate in the week’s events and find ways to help victims of crime. For additional information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and how to help victims in your community, contact the Coryell County Crime Victims’ Office (district attorney) at 254-865-5911 ext. 2267, (county attorney) at 254-248-3184, or (Hidden Gem Family Center) 254-206-3003. For more ideas on how to volunteer, contact the Crime Victims’ coordinators at brandy.rhoades@coryellcountytx.gov, jenny.featherston@coryellcountytx.gov or colette.krumnow@coryellcountytx.gov

The 2022 NCVRW Resource Guide contains a wide array of outreach tools and sample materials to help you quickly and capably develop and carry out your NCVRW awareness campaign and other public awareness campaigns throughout the year. Resource Guide highlights include suggestions for raising awareness in your community, sample materials for traditional and social media, a history of the crime victims’ rights movement, and original artwork to unite this national effort.

Join OVC in raising awareness of victims’ rights and services, highlighting programs, celebrating progress achieved, and honoring victims and the professionals who serve them.