National Victims of Crime Awareness Week (Victims Week) is held each year in April. The goal of Victims Week is to raise awareness about issues facing victims of crime and the services, programs and laws in place to help victims and their families.
This year Victims Week takes place from April 19 to 25. The theme for Victims Week 2015 is “Shaping the Future Together.” This theme recognizes that:
• Many victims are looking to move beyond their victimization and shape their own future. While all victims of crime define their experience differently, their victimization does not need to define them.
• Throughout Canada, countless dedicated professionals and volunteers devote their time to shape a better future for victims of crime. People like legal services outreach worker Barry Pratt and RCMP Victims Services Program Manager Cathy Riddle; and organizations such as the Boundary Women’s Coalition. These victim service providers and criminal justice professionals give information and meaningful support to victims and their families at the community, provincial, territorial and federal levels to help victims as they navigate the criminal justice system.
• National Victims of Crime Awareness Week also recognizes victim service providers who strive to shape a future that includes effective and efficient services to victims of crime.
• Over the past 10 years, National Victims of Crime Awareness Week has helped to shape the future for victims by raising awareness about the issues facing victims of crime and the services, programs and laws in place to help victims and their families. Through funding and collaboration with organizations that provide victim services, we are shaping the future together.
For more information go online to victimsweek.gc.ca
