| R 266 |
| 2023 -- H 6319 Enacted 04/25/2023 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING "NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' WEEK" ON APRIL 23RD THROUGH APRIL 29TH, 2023, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Spears, Cotter, Craven, Caldwell, Casimiro, and Cortvriend |
| Date Introduced: April 25, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, Crime and victimization in Rhode Island and the United States has |
| significant, and sometimes life-shattering, impacts on victims, survivors, and communities; and |
| WHEREAS, Delivering true justice requires that all victims are provided with the support |
| they need; and |
| WHEREAS, Barriers that prevent many survivors from receiving the services they need |
| and the justice they deserve still exist with many violent crimes, including rape and sexual |
| assault, often going unreported to law enforcement because, among other concerns, victims fear |
| placing themselves in further danger and from negative interactions with the criminal justice |
| system; and |
| WHEREAS, The inequality of victimization and surge in hate crimes faced by |
| historically marginalized groups including communities of color, Native American communities, |
| the LGBTQI+ community, the Asian American community, and the Jewish community needs to |
| be more fully addressed; and |
| WHEREAS, Victims of crime not only face physical and emotional costs, they often |
| suffer a serious economic toll as well; and |
| WHEREAS, Helping those who have experienced crime and their families is an |
| important step toward the protection of and support for victims' rights. Dedicated professionals |
| have worked to develop support and services for survivors that are more holistic, trauma- |
| informed, and effective at overcoming systemic barriers that certain communities face in |
| prosecuting offenders and obtaining justice; and |
| WHEREAS, More work remains to be done to advance these goals and National Crime |
| Victims' Rights Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness for our commitment to |
| providing survivors of crime with the support they need to heal; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| commemorates April 23rd – April 29th as "National Crime Victims' Week". We moreover honor |
| crime victims, survivors, and the individuals who advocate for them and renew our commitment |
| to providing survivors of crime with the support and access to services that will help them cope |
| with the physical, psychological, financial, and other adverse effects of crime; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Peg Langhammer, Executive Director of Day |
| One, and Meagan Fitzgerald, Program Manager of Advocacy & Prevention, Aubin Center. |
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| LC002871 |
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