April 21st-27th is National Crime Victims'
Rights Week. Started in 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has
brought much needed attention to the victims of crime, their families and the
professionals who serve them.
Domestic violence is a crime as we all know. This week of recognition and support to crime victims is very important to Hope House as a way to honor and recognize the journey of all of those who have been impacted by crime. This year’s theme is New Challenges New Solutions. The Office of Victims of Crime states that “Despite all of our progress—victims’ rights laws in all 50 states, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and the more than 10,000 victim service agencies throughout our Nation—we face enduring and emerging challenges. About 50 percent of violent crimes are not reported, and only a fraction of victims receive the help they need. We need to know more about these victims, how we can best help them, and how to better target our services to reach every victim. At the same time, we must adapt to funding cuts, globalization, changing demographics, new types of crimes, and the changes (both good and bad) brought by technology. These challenges require bold, new solutions.”
Domestic violence is a crime as we all know. This week of recognition and support to crime victims is very important to Hope House as a way to honor and recognize the journey of all of those who have been impacted by crime. This year’s theme is New Challenges New Solutions. The Office of Victims of Crime states that “Despite all of our progress—victims’ rights laws in all 50 states, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and the more than 10,000 victim service agencies throughout our Nation—we face enduring and emerging challenges. About 50 percent of violent crimes are not reported, and only a fraction of victims receive the help they need. We need to know more about these victims, how we can best help them, and how to better target our services to reach every victim. At the same time, we must adapt to funding cuts, globalization, changing demographics, new types of crimes, and the changes (both good and bad) brought by technology. These challenges require bold, new solutions.”
I couldn’t agree more. I am excited about the future and the work we are doing to address the issue of domestic violence and other crimes that are happening in our community. At Hope House we work to ensure that every victim that comes into our services feels they have been treated with fairness, dignity and respect, from us as a service provider. These are fundamental rights that everyone should have, but especially those who have been traumatized and victimized.
This week is an opportunity for the nation to reflect on those who have been victimized and work to create new solutions to the new and the old challenges to ensure that the victimization doesn’t continue and crime victims are able to recover.
On our campuses we have visual and daily reminders of the work being done to address crime. I invite you to take time during this week to reflect on the journey that crime victim’s must make and look for new solutions and new ways to get involved and to help make that journey a bit easier. You can visit our website hopehouse.net or for resource guides specific to crime victim’s week visit: ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw or ncvc.org.
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