National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an annual commemoration reminding people of the widespread need for victim-centered responses to harm, crime, and violence. Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime.
This important week began Sunday. In light of its significance, the Washington-based Catholic Mobilizing Network compiled five resources to allow people to honor, support and pray with crime victims and their families as they continue on their journeys of healing.
This year’s them is: How would you help?
The 2024 theme asks every day people — friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, community leaders, victim service providers, criminal justice practitioners, and health professional — how they can help crime victims. Would they be prepared if someone confided in them about a victimization? Is their organization victim-centered and trauma-informed? Are they familiar with the services available in your community?
This year’s theme is a call-to-action for everyone to create safe environments for crime victims to share what happened to them. By doing so, they are able to get support, options for life-saving services, and, most importantly, hope.