Door County Coordinated Community Response Column

“We cannot achieve justice for all until we realize justice for victims,” was the theme for this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which was observed April 13 – 19.

According to Shannan M. Catalano, Ph.D. in the report “Criminal Victimization, 2005,” which is accessible online from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, “Americans believe in justice for all. Yet to achieve justice for all, we must seek justice for victims.”

She continued, “Victims want their offenders held accountable for their crimes. And they want our nation to honor their rights, protect their safety, and help them rebuild their lives. Victims may need compensation for their losses, a chance to be heard in court, or neighbors that understand that crime can happen to anyone. Crime can strike anyone-anywhere. An estimated 23 million Americans become victims of crime every year. And these victims deserve justice.”

During the past four decades tremendous progress has been made in securing and strengthening legal rights, protections, and services for victims of crime. The history of the victims’ rights movement is the story of victims, victim advocates, and countless other individuals tirelessly working together to bring hope to the millions of individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime each year. It is a story of steady, certain progress that continues today.

The month of April is also the Sexual Assault Awareness month. Are you aware that there are services in Door County for those that have been sexually assaulted? The Sexual Assault Center of Door County is funded by the United Way of Door County, State and Federal Grants and is one of thirty programs offered by the non-profit agency, Family Services of Northeastern Wisconsin, Inc.

The Sexual Assault Center of Door County has an office in the Sunset School Building in Sturgeon Bay with three staff and also six trained volunteer advocates to answer crisis calls and to respond to crisis’ 24/7. Support groups are held once a month for women survivors, prevention presentations are given to community members and students, legal, medical and crisis counseling support is also available 24/7.

Standing on the shoulders of those early advocates and pioneers that stood up for victims rights in the late ‘70s, we continue that proud legacy by rededicating ourselves to making victims’ rights, protections, and services a reality.

Your help is needed: if you know someone who has been assaulted listen carefully and believe your friend. Do not expect the victim to act a certain way (every individual responds differently). Help your friend report to someone who can help. Let your friend know that the sexual assault is not his/her fault. Protect your friend’s privacy. Let your friend know that you care. Inform your friend that there is a Sexual Assault Center in Door County that can help.

If you have been moved at all by this article and would like to advocate for victims’ rights and/or volunteer for the Sexual Assault Center please call 920.746.8996. For referrals to other agencies that can help, call the 24-hour crisis line at 920.743.8818 or 1.800.91.HELP.1.

The Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence Team (CCR) is committed to the prevention of domestic violence by coordinating a consistent message and response to domestic violence. It is also dedicated to promoting cooperation, coordination, communication, and education among the criminal justice and other community systems with service providers, thus creating a safe community environment for victims of abuse, ensuring that abusers are held accountable for their behavior and decreasing the tolerance for violence in the community. Printed above is a column from CCR to promote education within the Door County community.