Charlottesville commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

According to the most recent National Crime Victimization Survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2019 1.2 million people were victims of violent crime, excluding simple assault.

While that is a significant decrease from the year before, now is the time to redouble our efforts so that victimization continues to decline and fewer and fewer people in our community become victims of crime.

The City of Charlottesville is commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to raise awareness about crime victims’ issues and rights.

“Our office is proud to support National Crime Victims’ Rights Week,” said Joe Platania, Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney. “We see survivors every day who have been hurt and harmed. They are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, financial exploitation, and child abuse. Victimization often leaves survivors isolated, scared, and hopeless. We cannot undo what happened, but this week shows our community’s commitment to honoring survivors and their journey and working to assist them and build resiliency.”

The U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf.

This year’s theme – Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities. – celebrates the contributions that we all can make toward building trust in our community’s capacity to support the healing journeys of crime victims.

Trust is collective as well as individual, so we are honoring both the individual victims in our community and the groups engaged in building networks of understanding and support.

“As an advocate, I have seen firsthand how devastating the effects of crime can be on a survivor. Long after the physical scars heal, emotional and psychological trauma can remain,” said Pat O’Donnell, Program Director for the Charlottesville Victim Witness Assistance Program. “It is important for survivors to know that they are seen and heard, and that there are agencies in place to help them heal.”