Evansville, IN — National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 21-27, 2024. Holly’s House is commemorating this important awareness week by hosting community seminars with retired police Lt. Mark Wynn to encourage members of the community to learn how to help survivors. On April 23rd, we will host a free screening of Mark Wynn’s film “This Is Where Learned Not to Sleep” at 6:00 pm at Ivy Tech Community College. After the screening, a community discussion panel will take place with Lt. Wynn, Sheriff Noah Robinson, Prosecutor Diana Moers, USI Social Work Professor Jara Dillingham, Holly’s House Executive Director Kristine Cordts, and more.
The following day, April 24th from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Lt. Wynn, will offer a full-day training Domestic & Sexual Violence: Effective Intervention and Response. This training is for local law enforcement, first responders, social workers, and community members. LETBS and CEUS are available. Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ncvrw-domestic-and-sexual-violence-seminar-tickets-852308737377.
Wynn is a childhood survivor who has devoted his life to ending violence by working as a police officer, detective, educator, program supervisor, consultant, and advisor. A twenty-one-year veteran of the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, Mark was a creator of the largest domestic violence investigative unit in the United States responsible for investigations of elder abuse, child abuse, and domestic and sexual violence. He is an international trainer for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, legislators, social service providers, healthcare professionals, and victim advocates. A graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and a Fulbright Specialist for the Department of State, Wynn has testified twice before Congress on Family Violence and delivered a speech at the White House. In the past 20 years, he has traveled 2,478,313 miles to all 50 states and 16 countries visiting 1,250 cities, towns, and villages.
In 2022, there were nearly 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.6 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.6 million, only about 42% were reported to police.
“The awareness that comes form events during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week supported by NAVAA and OVC helps our community care for victims throughout the year,” said Kristine Cordts, Holly’s House Executive Director. “Victims and their families need compassion, understanding, and support from their communities. Holly’s House is fortunate to work closely with engaged community throughout the year to provide support, promote justice, and prevent violence.”
This year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.” We must create an environment in which victims and survivors feel safe talking about what happened to them.
The theme aims to ensure that everyone in a community knows where and how crime victims and survivors can find help — including friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, service providers, or other trusted members of the community. We must all be prepared to offer support.
Holly’s House is proud to join the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and communities throughout the United States during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and their advocates.
Since 2004, the NCVRW Community Awareness Project has provided financial and technical assistance to more than 1500 community projects that promote victim and public awareness activities, and innovative approaches to victim outreach and public education about victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Holly’s House with collaboration from Albion Fellows Bacon Center, Lampion Center, Parenting Time Center, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Warrick County Voices for Change, Willow Tree, YWCA, and the Prosecutor’s Offices in Vanderburgh, Warrick, and Posey Counties, was one of the 89 recommended by NAVAA and selected for funding by OVC for 2024 from the 151 applications that were submitted nationwide.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week events are free and open to the public.
For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please contact Ashley McReynolds at Albion Fellows Bacon Center at 812-422-9372 or ashleym@albioncenter.org. To learn more about how to support all victims of crime, visit the Office for Victims of Crime’s website at ovc.ojp.gov.
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