2023 -- H 6319

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LC002871

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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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

     Referred To: House read and passed

     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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