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Press Release

Justice Department Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week With Events Throughout the Country

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Washington
Remote video URL
Watch USAO EDWA - National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2023 on YouTube.

 

Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of
Washington, announces National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), which will be
observed from April 23–29, 2023. The federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads
communities throughout the country in annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights
Week by raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who
advocate on their behalf.

This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” During this week, the
Department of Justice recognizes the individuals and groups whose advocacy has propelled the
victims’ rights movement forward for the past half century, inspiring in victims and their loved
ones a feeling of hope for progress, justice, and healing. Partner organizations are committed to
engaging with victims of crime; learning from their lived experiences; amplifying their voices;
and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington seeks to raise
awareness about crime victims’ issues and rights and introduce our communities to the important
resources and services available. This matters because, according to a report from the Bureau of
Justice Statistics, in 2021, there were more than 4.6 million violent victimizations and 11.7
million property crimes, the latest year for which such information is available. President
Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring
greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime and the Department of Justice is
proud to continue this important annual recognition.

U.S. Attorney Waldref reaffirmed the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office for the
Eastern District of Washington to supporting the rights of crime victims. “Our mission is to
secure justice for the victims of crime and to prosecute those who have done them harm. To do
this, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to address criminal activity in all of our
communities, and we engage with victims’ advocacy organizations to support survivors and
reduce the pain that so many victims of crime continue to endure.”

OVC and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington encourage
continued participation in victim-related observances throughout the year. For additional
information on how to support victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov or contact
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington’s Victim Witness Program at
(509) 353-2767.

Contact

Richard Barker 
Assistant United States Attorney and Public Affairs Officer
509-835-6311 or richard.barker@usdoj.gov

Updated April 24, 2023

Topics
Violent Crime
Hate Crimes