In commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), the Utah Attorney General’s Office is raising awareness about crime victims’ rights and honoring the hard work of those committed to advocating for victims. This year’s theme, “Seek Justice | Ensure Victims’ Rights | Inspire Hope” celebrates the progress made by those before us as we look to a future of crime victim services that are even more inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed.
According to the 2018 Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced 3.3 million violent victimizations and U.S. households experienced an estimated 13.5 million property crimes.
In previous years, NCVRW was kicked off by a candlelight vigil on the Utah State Capitol steps, where families and friends gathered to honor the lives of lost victims to crime, survivors shared their stories, and services and resources were shared. This year, the candlelight vigil has been postponed until Sunday. June 7th.
This week, there are several virtual events you can participate in to help show your support:
Uplift with a Message of Hope – Create a short video with an uplifting message of hope for victims of all crimes to remind them that they are not alone. Or, you can take a picture holding a sign saying, “I Stand for Victim’s Rights”.
#1BlueNail – For a simple and fun way to show your support, paint your ring fingernail blue to show your support as we all stand for victims’ rights. Take a picture or video and tag it with #1BlueNail and #NCVRW.
Tune in to Their Stories – The Utah Survivors Podcast will have episodes dedicated to NCVRW as they share victims’ and survivors’ stories, discuss victims’ rights, and share resources. Tune into their podcast here or on Spotify.
Spot the Bus – Take a walk during the day and try to spot the 2020 NCVRW banners on the back of busses in the Wasatch Front starting April 1st to April 28th. Take a picture and tag it with #NCVRW2020.
Tag You’re It – Whether you participate in the events above or just want to show your support, tag your posts with the following tags:
#NCVRW2020
#NCVRW2020SeekJustice
#NCVRW2020EnsureVictimsRights
#NCVRW2020InspireHope
Stay tuned for more ways you can show support in the coming months. For additional information about this year’s NCVRW and how to assist victims in your community, please visit the NCVRW Facebook page.
View a list of national resources available to victims of crime with survivor assistance.
Watch Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes’ message for NCVRW below:
On Sunday night, people from all walks of life gathered together on the front steps of the Utah State Capitol for a candlelight vigil to support those who have experienced the tragedy of a violent crime, as well as to honor the victims who lost their lives.
A Victim Centered
Approach
Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes attended the event, sharing the importance of having a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach in the criminal justice system and the continuous efforts of the Attorney General’s Office to incorporate it into their work.
“A victim’s experience with the criminal justice system can mean the difference between supportive and healing experience versus one that exacerbates their initial pain and trauma. Criminal acts can often strip victims of a sense of control, not to mention a sense of safety, security, self-confidence, and self-worth. Making sure victims are advised of their statutory rights, informed of the status of their case, and reassuring them along the way that they have done nothing wrong, that they are not at fault, these things can empower them to begin taking back their own lives,” said Attorney General Reyes.
The Attorney General’s Office has a unique opportunity to work with victims throughout almost every stage in the criminal justice system, from investigation to prosecution. Taking a victim-centered approach helps to minimize re-traumatization and provides victims with a compassionate and nurturing space in which to navigate the criminal justice system.
Listen to Attorney General Reyes’ speech below.
Stories from
Survivors
During the candlelight vigil, survivors shared their
experiences with abuse, trauma, and how they overcame their past.
Coming up on its 20th anniversary, four survivors
of the Columbine High School shooting and bombing shared their experiences that
fateful day on April 20,1999. Sarah Bush, Will Beck, Laura Hall, and
Tami Diaz, who were all students at the time of the tragic incident, have
together formed Rebels for Change, an organization that works to make schools
safer for children. They each shared their separate stories and spoke about
what it means to be a victim and the hope and healing that victims can look
towards.
Listen to their stories below.
Jenny Andrus, a professor at the University of Utah who currently teaches writing and rhetoric, as well as studying and reaching domestic violence, is a survivor of domestic violence herself. She shared her story of emotional and physical abuse. She spoke on how emotional abuse is often overlooked but can have the same horrible consequences as any other type of abuse. She spoke on the importance of the victims advocate program utilized by law enforcement.
Listen to her story below. Be advised of potential trigger warnings.
Sidney Andrews, a current Salt Lake Community College student studying Criminal Justice, shared her story on surviving sexual and emotional abuse by her step-father for 13 years. Andrews emphasized the importance of the victim advocate programs, and how her advocate was with her every step of the way through the court case and through her own healing. She spoke on the need for victims to have a voice, and how that voice was able to be heard through her family and advocate.
Listen to her story below.
Brielle Decker is a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and was the 56th wife of Warren Jeffs, a former president of the FLDS Church. Decker spoke about her sexual abuse and about the importance of understanding trauma as a way to protect your families and become compassionate towards others. Decker has since created the Dream Center, a transition point and a place of healing for those who have left the FLDS Church. The Dream Center aids hundreds of people each year.
Listen to her story below.
Current Legislation to Aid Victims
Lastly, Representative Angela Romero spoke about the current legislative progress made for victims and about what you can do to help advocate for victims.
HB 234 Marriage Amendments increased the minimum age of marriage to 18. In certain circumstances, court authorization and consent by a parent or guardian may permit a lower age, but in all other circumstances, a person must be 18 years of age to legally marry.
SB 103 Victim Targeting Penalty Enhancements, otherwise known as the hate crimes bill, provides an enhanced penalty for a criminal offense committed against a victim based on age, ancestry, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity, homelessness, marital status, matriculation, national origin, political expression, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the U.S. Armed Forces, and status as an emergency responder.
