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To proclaim the week of April 18 - 24, 2021 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in the City of Columbus - remembering crime victims, recognizing the Columbus CARE Coalition and the other organizations that provide services to victims of crime.
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WHEREAS, Victims’ Rights Week was first proclaimed in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan who recognized the need for a renewed emphasis on and an enhanced sensitivity to the rights of victims - a challenge that exists today; and
WHEREAS, supporting victims of crime supports and honors the experiences of victims and allows them to find autonomy and empowerment through achieving self-defined goals; and
WHEREAS, each year there are more than 3 million violent victimizations, yet less than 43 percent of these crimes are reported to police, and only 11 percent of violent victim crime victims accessed assistance from a victim service agency; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus created the Columbus CARE Coalition to address community trauma through direct action, education, by creating networks of providers to provide hope and healing to individuals, families and neighborhoods experiencing trauma - recognizing that building up individuals and families during a crisis, helps to build neighborhoods giving people the power to help themselves, and their community; and
WHEREAS, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week - April 18 to 24, 2021 - is an important time for individuals, communities and our Nation as a whole to support victims, build trust, and engage communities; and
WHEREAS, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Theme “Supporting Victims, Building Trust, and Engaging Communities” is a goal that the City of Columbus will endorse not only during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week but throughout the year - the City will support this by continuing to offer trauma-informed victim services through the Columbus CARE Coalition making sure that services can be accessed by survivors, victims of crime, and others in need; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus recognizes the need for partnerships that offers support to individuals and communities who are impacted by crime - with this we thank Columbus Public Health, the Center for Family Safety and Healing, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Deaf World Against Violence Everywhere (DWAVE), Columbus Preparatory Academy, Department of Neighborhoods, Mental Health of America of Ohio, the Mount Carmel Crime and Trauma Assistance Program, OhioHealth Trauma Recovery Center, the Columbus Division of Fire and others who assist with providing help, hope and healing to families and crime victims - as justice cannot be achieved until crime victims are provided with the services that they need; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby proclaim the week of April 18 - 24, 2021 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in the City of Columbus - remembering crime victims, recognizing the Columbus CARE Coalition and the other organizations that provide services to victims of crime.