U.S. Attorney’s Office Supports National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) helps lead communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) every April by promoting victims’ rights, and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf.  This year’s NCVRW will be held April 10-16, 2016.  The theme -- Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope. -- presents the opportunity to highlight the importance of providing needed services at the earliest stage of victimization.  Early intervention helps prevent both further victimization and involvement in the criminal justice system, thus addressing the cycle of violence and restoring hope for the future.

Beginning at 10:00 a.m., on Wednesday, Apr. 13, 2016, various agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the  Eastern District of Tennessee, will celebrate NCVRW with displays in the courtyard of the Howard Baker Federal Courthouse, Knoxville. These displays will commemorate the advancement of victims’ rights by honoring all champions in advocating for expanded support and services to communities affected by crime.

NCVRW honors and celebrates the achievements of the past 30 years in securing rights, protections, and services for victims. The bipartisan Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), passed by Congress in 1984, created a national fund to ease victims’ suffering.  Financed by fines and penalties paid by offenders, the Crime Victims Fund supports services for victims of all types of crime, including assistance for homicide survivors, survivors of child sexual abuse and victims of human trafficking, as well as rape crisis centers and domestic violence programs among others. VOCA also funds victim compensation programs that pay victims’ out-of-pocket expenses such as counseling, funeral expenses, and lost wages.

“If victims are to trust that the criminal justice system will work for them, we must meet them where they are—physically, culturally, and emotionally,” said Joye E. Frost, Director, OVC, U.S. Department of Justice. “When we take the time to focus on the victim in the aftermath of crime—to address their needs for safety and justice—we can begin to build trust and restore the hope of those victims and their communities. We all play a role in helping victims as they rebuild their lives.”

OVC encourages widespread participation in the week’s events and in other victim-related observances throughout the year. For additional ideas on how to support victims of crime, visit the Office for Victims of Crime website, www.ovc.gov.

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