DAG Hosts Event for 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

District Attorney General Charme Allen and her office hosted a kick-off event for the 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 23–29) on Friday, April 21 at the Family Justice Center.

The 2023 NCVRW theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” This year’s theme calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and create environments where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed, and supported. Since 1981, thousands of communities across the nation honor the dedication of those before us that established victims’ rights and renew their commitment to guarantee that all victims have the rights and services they need to recover from crime.

Hundreds of community members joined the Knox County District Attorney General’s Office at the kick-off event. Attendees included service agencies, advocacy groups, law enforcement, elected officials, and crime victims and their loved ones. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and City of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon both proclaimed April 23-29 as NCVRW. The program also included a ceremonial reading of Rights of Victims of Crimes – Tennessee Constitution Article I, § 35.

To show their support, attendees signed a banner that will be displayed in the City County Building during NCVRW. Attendees were also equipped with advocacy bags filled with resources and information about crime victims’ rights to raise awareness and empower survivors of crime.

“The purpose of the event is to celebrate progress achieved, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services, and stand with our families, neighbors, friends, and colleagues whose lives have been forever altered by crime,” said District Attorney General Charme Allen. “It is our honor to stand up for crime victims in our community and to make sure their voices are heard and their rights observed.”

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 for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Sponsors of the event also include First Horizon and the University of Tennessee College of Social Work.