National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Set For April 6-12

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – The Jefferson Area Victim Assistance Coalition will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 6-12) with an event in Charlottesville honoring local officials who have displayed excellence in their work with crime victims.

The theme for National Victims’ Rights Week 2014, “30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice,” celebrates the enduring work of those leaders who have dedicated their professional lives to providing services to victims of crime. Through decades of advocacy and hard work, victims of crime have gained access to crime victim’s compensation or services to help rebuild their lives, among other benefits once denied to victims.

Locally, the Jefferson Area Victim Assistance Coalition will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with a local event on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 9 a.m. inside Charlottesville City Hall, 605 E. Main Street. At this event, the coalition will present awards to five individuals and one agency that have devoted innumerable hours, months and years to the cause of restoring the balance of justice in the care of crime victims.

The Jefferson Area Victim Assistance Coalition consists of members from the Albemarle County Victim/Witness Program, the Albemarle/Charlottesville Domestic Violence Services Coordinator, the Charlottesville Victim/Witness Program, the FBI Victim Assistance Program-Richmond Division, the Fluvanna County Victim/Witness Program, the Greene County Victim/Witness Program, Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program, the Louisa County Victim/Witness Program, the Shelter for Help in Emergency, the United States Attorney’s Office-Victims/Witness Program and the University of Virginia Victim/Witness Program.

This event is free and open to the public.