National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Strengthen Understanding and Support for Survivors

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and April 21-27 was National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). Every year in April, we celebrate this week to increase understanding about victimization and how crime affects survivors, their families, loved ones, friends, and communities. At Sylvia’s Place, we especially focus on supporting survivors of sexual assaults and intimate partner violence.

This year’s theme was ‘Building Connected Communities.‘ Survivors of sexual violence are subjected to various forms of victim blaming by society and experience stigma as victims on a daily basis. To gradually reduce this structure of victim blaming, it is important for the community as a whole to better understand and support survivors of sexual assault.

More than half of DV incidents are not reported

In 2022, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), there were 951,930 intimate partner violence victimizations and 1,370,440 domestic violence victimizations, with nearly half of them not reported to police.

In Michigan alone, according to the Michigan State Police’s Incident Crime Report, 64,545 people have been victims of domestic violence, and members of LGBTQ+ communities face equal or higher risks of intimate partner violence compared to heterosexuals. Unfortunately, society remains unsafe, and those closest to us may be harmed.

How do we talk and provide support to survivors?

How should you respond if a friend, family member, or loved one who is important to you has been victimized and confides in you?

1. Acknowledgement and Empathy

It takes a lot of courage to open up about your experience of sexual victimization or intimate violence. The first thing to do is to thank them for sharing their experience. Then, it is important to show empathy by “acknowledging” their experience, not denying it, and showing empathy by saying,

“Thank you for sharing your painful experience with me. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry it had come to this.”

2. Providing Support

Communicating that you are always willing to listen can provide victims with a sense of security. The mere act of listening can be a great support, as it reminds victims that when they remember painful experiences, they have someone close at hand whom they can talk to. You can say,

” if you ever need to talk, I’m always here to listen and I care about you. Never feel alone.”

3. Believe the Victim’s Story

Eight out of ten perpetrators of sexual assault are people known to the victim or someone the victim knows, and 33% of sexual assaults are committed by a current or past intimate partner. Therefore, victims are constantly exposed to their own inner voice and public accusations that they may have been wronged. That is why it is so important to acknowledge the victim’s story and believe them.

“I believe you. You are not at fault, and what happened to you is absolutely unforgivable.”

Not being sure what to say to them is what happens when you don’t want to hurt your loved ones any more than they already are. Even if you are not able to say the perfect words, do not blame yourself. Often, family and friends who support the victim can also be under a lot of emotional strain during the support process. It is important that you offer as much support as you can and guide the victim to seek professional help.