Delaware Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week – April 23-29, 2023

The following release is issued on behalf of the Delaware Victims’ Rights Task Force.

Contact: Melissa Pennachi
(302) 366-7100 x3137
delvrtf@gmail.com

The Delaware Victims’ Rights Task Force, in commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 23-29, 2023, is hosting a variety of free, public events across Delaware to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights and introduce the community to the important resources and information available.

This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.”  On Wednesday, April 26th, the Victims’ Rights Task Force is hosting an Advocacy Day at Legislative Hall in Dover. This is a time where victims, providers, and the community can reach out to their local legislators to discuss the importance of engaging with victims of crime to amplify and learn from those voices to better inform services and systems. The VRTF will have a resource table on the second floor lobby of Legislative Hall to share information about resources available to victims in Delaware.  During the afternoon of April 26th, Governor Carney will sign a proclamation declaring the week of April 23rd as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

The VRTF is partnering with local law enforcement and the Delaware Department of Justice to provide seminars about current scams targeting Delawareans.  These “Stop the SCAMS!’ seminars will be held on April 25th at 10am at the Long Neck Cheer Center in Millsboro, April 26th at 1PM at the Mid-County Senior Center in Wilmington, and April 27th at 12pm at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover.

The VRTF is also partnering with Jennifer Boileau to offer three iRest Meditation practices during the week.  These sessions will explore the use of meditation and breathing exercises to move through and process trauma.  These iRest events will be held at 6:00pm on the following dates and locations: April 24th at DSP Troop 2 in Newark, April 25th at DSP Troop 3 in Camden, and April 27th at DSP Troop 7 in Lewes.

For more information about these events, please visit the Victims’ Rights Task Force’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/delVRTF/events.   This project is supported by a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Community Awareness Project subgrant awarded by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators under a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant from the Office of Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

For local resources in Delaware, please visit www.delawarevictimservices.org.  For additional ideas on how to support all victims of crime, visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at www.ovc.ojp.ogv.