Background and Mission
Background
More than one in three adults and nearly 70 percent of adolescents are estimated to fall victim to violent crime in the United States.1 Since fewer than half of all violent victimizations are ever reported to the police,2 and because survivors must report crimes to become eligible for state-administered victim compensation and other services, most survivors go without the help and support they need. Even when survivors can access services, they are faced with the fact that the nature and scope of services can vary drastically from one community to another, with sufficiently “trauma-informed” services being rare even in the best scenario.
It was from this place of need, and disparity in services, that Witness Justice was created. Founded in 2002, Witness Justice is a national, grassroots, non-denominational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower and assist victims of violence and their loved ones in healing from trauma and in navigating the criminal justice process. Each month, Witness Justice receives more than 150,000 hits to www.witnessjustice.org, and approximately 300 individuals turn to us for direct assistance, making us one of the most sought-after victim services in the country.
Witness Justice provides information and support, connection through our Virtual Community, and direct assistance to any survivor who may have questions in the aftermath of violence. Our Expert Corps of Volunteers, comprised of leading experts from around the country, are available to offer suggestions or potential solutions to tough problems or obstacles that survivors face. Through our Web site, Witness Justice also offers a host of training resources for service providers. In an effort to fill gaps in victim services, we conduct research and outreach to identify unaddressed survivor needs and the impact of violence on families, communities, and our nation. When we identify a gap, need, or unaddressed population, we work to meet those needs and gaps and, when necessary, we advocate with legislators, state systems, and other organizations to foster positive social change that will provide the best potential for survivors’ healing and justice.
Witness Justice’s victim assistance programs and advocacy work have garnered national and local media attention from reputable venues including National Public Radio, Time, ABC News, Associated Press, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Also, our trauma education and awareness efforts have been publicly endorsed by a wide range of prominent leaders in the fields of victim assistance, domestic violence, mental health, law enforcement, criminal justice, elder abuse, crisis response, and education. A number of federal legislators and leading professional and service organizations, including the Campaign for Mental Health Reform, have also expressed support of our efforts.
Our Mission
Support and advocacy for victims of violence and trauma.
The Impetus for Witness Justice
Witness Justice was established in 2001 by survivors, for survivors. The vision for Witness Justice is to address the gaps in service experienced by survivors of violence and trauma, no matter the nature of the incident, where or when the incident occurred, or whether a crime was ever reported. The organization, inspired by this vision, is now fueled by a diverse and talented group of survivors, advocates, experts, and volunteers.
Witness Justice is unique in that we work directly with victims of all types of crime from communities all over the country to provide support and information, to promote physical and emotional healing, and to serve as a uniquely understanding presence and sounding board. Given the large disparity in services from city to city, county to county, and state to state, the importance of having a national program that addresses a survivor’s needs and promotes equal opportunity for healing and justice is especially important.
- Tools and practical information regarding the healing and criminal justice processes
- Access to other survivors and experts (mental health professionals, law enforcement officials, etc.)
- Survivor stories to which victims can relate, and which can help offenders or potential offenders better understand the impacts and consequences of violence
- Peer support
- Channels for advocacy and activism
- Personalized expert responses to individual inquiries from professional volunteers and WJ staff
- Resources and access to other supportive organizations
- Information for friends and family members of violent crime survivors
- Information for employers and co-workers of violent crime survivors
- Communication tools and professional public relations services for service providers
Empowering Survivors
As reflected in the name "Witness Justice," the organization focuses on empowering witnesses - people who have survived violence and live on. Describing victims as witnesses is intentional, providing a new perspective whereby individuals assume an active role in, with added control over, their destiny, which is important in re-establishing safety and, in many cases, self- esteem. The name "Witness Justice" also reflects the organization's mission to help all victims witness a sense of justice and healing, regardless of their willingness to report the crime(s) against them or pursue prosecution through the legal system.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Youth Violence Research Bulletin— February 2002
2 U.S. Department of Justice, National Crime Victimization Survey—September 2004
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