Austin, Texas—April 22, 2010— There are victims of crime every second of every day throughout our nation and here in our home state of Texas. Tonight, we light candles and challenge the nation to reflect on victims, their families and the professionals who serve them.
Only a few decades ago, shocking numbers of crime victims experienced unfairness, indignities, and disrespect. Yet years of work by victims, advocates and victim service agencies has led to thousands of statutes and 32 state constitutional amendments that establish victims’ rights. We want to recognize the agencies of this area that have committed themselves to ensuring that all victims know about and can exercise these rights.
Fairness, dignity and respect for victims must be achieved because the time clock of crime continues to tick.
• Victim of murder every 6 hours and 19 minutes in Texas
• A child is reported abused or neglected every 8.5 minutes in Texas
• Victim of sexual assault every hour
• Victim of dating abuse every hour in Texas
• Victim of theft every 14 minutes in Texas
• Victim of domestic violence every 36 minutes in Texas
• Victim of alcohol related crash every 40 minutes in Texas
• Victim of home burglary every two minutes in Texas
• Victim of identity theft every 5 minutes in Texas
• Elderly person is victimized every 11 minutes in Texas
We must work to ensure victims’ rights are always enforced. That is why we need to recall the ideals that inspired the decades-long struggle of the victims’ rights movement and challenge all Americans to honor victims’ rights.
Carolyn Mosley-Fields, whose daughter Trella was murdered at Reagan High School because of teen dating violence, will be the keynote speaker. Carolyn founded the Ortralla Lewone Mosley Foundation, whose mission is to empower teens to choose healthy relationships through advocacy, education and support.
The Texas observance of Crime Victims’ Rights Week is being organized by the Austin area victim service agencies coalition in cooperation with the Texas Victim Service Association (TVSA). The kickoff event is Thursday night 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Town Lake Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel in Austin, Texas.
The following organizations will be participating in the kickoff event:
Office of Governor Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
People Against Violent Crimes Texas District & County Attorneys Association
MADD Texas State Kevin Madison
VICARS Texas Legal Services Center
TDCJ Victim Services Division Crime Victim’s First
Austin Police Department Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
Texas Youth Commission CASA of Travis County
Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas Texas Council on Family Violence
Travis County Sheriff’s Office For the Love of Christi
The Ortralla LuWone Mosely Foundation Texas Department of Public Safety
Office of the Attorney General United Way Killeen
Texas Advocacy Project Texas Lawyers Care
Texas CASA Texas Access to Justice Foundation
Travis County District Attorney’s Office Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
Texas Victim Services Association