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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:              CONTACT: Mary Catherine Lowery, Co-chair

January 9, 2008                               Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy

                                                          215-854-7081

Local Coalition Receives Community Awareness Project Funding

for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

(Philadelphia, PA) – The Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy (PCVA) has received funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to promote community awareness and crime victim outreach activities in conjunction with 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The week of April 13 - 19, 2008 is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The theme for 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Justice for Victims. Justice for All.” which recognizes that crime has an impact on everyone and that all victims deserve support and services to help cope with the aftermath of criminal victimization. 

PCVA is a consortium of organizations and individuals that provide advocacy and assistance to victims of crime. Philadelphia is fortunate to have many services available to victims; however, all indications are that we are reaching only a small portion of victims. One service offered to victims is Crime Victim Compensation. This provides funds to victims to ameliorate the financial effects of crime by reimbursing victims for services such as medical care and counseling. These monies come from the federal Crime Victims Fund created under the U.S. Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 made up entirely of criminal fines and other penalties paid by federal criminal offenders—not by U.S. taxpayers. Last year community based agencies assisted 17,097 victims and recovered $1,670,591 in victim compensation for the people in our communities.  However, this represents only 5.7% of eligible crime victims in Philadelphia. Statewide only 4 % of victims received Crime Victim Compensation funds.

Mary Catherine Lowery, Co-chair of PCVA says "When we look at these numbers it is clear that while we are providing valuable services for many victims in the city there are many more we are not reaching.  With this grant we are planning a collaborative effort of public education about victim's rights and services available in Philadelphia to ensure that victims’ rights and victim services are provided to ‘every victim, every time’ after a crime is committed.”

The grant is also funded through VOCA funds from offender fines. PCVA was one of the projects selected for funding by the Office for Victims of Crime for 2008 from the more than 145 applications that were submitted.

The Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy will begin Victims' Rights Week with a Candle Lighting Vigil honoring all Philadelphia victims and survivors and end the week with an Awards Luncheon recognizing the important contributions made to victim's services in the city. The Community Awareness Project grant will provide funds to increase public awareness of Victims' Rights Week activities and resources available to victims in Philadelphia. This will include a new consumer brochure and a transit ad campaign in high crime areas during the month of April.

According to John W. Gillis, Director of the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), the Community Awareness Project helps generate widespread public awareness of crime victims’ rights and needs, and the importance of engaging all Americans in victim assistance efforts. “Crime victims and survivors can exercise their rights and access greatly needed services only if they are aware of them,” Gillis explained.  “When together, we commit to serving ‘every victim, every time,’ we also commit to increasing awareness among crime victims of their rights under law and of the thousands of programs across our Nation that can help them.  We hope that this funding will help all victims of crime find healing and justice.”

Residents of the city are encouraged to help promote justice through service to crime victims by joining PCVA's 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities and supporting victim assistance programs throughout the year.  For additional information about 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in Philadelphia please visit the PCVA web site at http://www.pcvainfo.org.

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