National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims
Each year on September 25, loved ones and victim service agencies gather together in solidarity for the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. Homicide rates in DC rose 67% from January 1 to March 4, 2018. 1 Despite its increase and prevalence, homicide and the impact on surviving family members continue to be particularly underserved in the areas of crime victims’ rights and services.
First and foremost, the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) wants to observe this day by paying respect to all individuals who have lost their lives or loved ones to homicide.
As a community-based agency that empowers victims of all crimes to achieve survivor-defined justice, NVRDC stresses the importance of survivors and victims having knowledge of crime victims’ rights and access to comprehensive services.
On this vital day of remembrance, NVRDC would also like to take a moment to inform our community of a focused enhancement in our services. Through the Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) grant, funded by the National Crime Victim Law Institute and DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime, NVRDC is working diligently to ensure loved ones of homicide victims in addition to those who have been victimized by bias-motivated or hate crimes know their rights and how to access services to which they are entitled.
We hired a new project coordinator, Carolyn Hoffmann, to implement this two year project where our goal is not only to expand the number and types of victimization we serve, but also to help these individuals, families, victims, survivors, and loved ones on their journeys to access justice and supportive healing services.
We want to highlight the fact that none of these efforts would be possible without our incredible partners: Choice Research Associates ; Collective Action for Safe Spaces ; NAARC Cure the Streets ; DC Volunteer Lawyers Project , DV LEAP , MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Community Violence Intervention Program , University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Community-Based Victims Assistance Center , Whitman-Walker Health , and others. Our partners make this project possible and we could not offer wraparound services without their involvement and dedication.
We hope each of you will take a moment to pay homage to this cause. If you would like to learn more about our work, please visit nvrdc.org or review the RISE project’s press release here .
DC Metropolitan Police Department, District Crime Data at a Glance, available at: https://mpdc.dc.gov/node/197622.