The Georgia Office of Victim Services (GOVS) once again spanned the state to serve crime victims during National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) 2024. NCVRW was April 21-27, 2024.
The signature event for the office was a panel discussion describing services provided to crime victims by several state and local agencies and organizations.
At Clayton State University, services available to crime victims was the focus of the panel discussion.
Chris Barnett, the Executive Director of the Parole Board spoke at the close of the event.
"I would like to thank everybody that's here today, for by your mere presence here today you are showing support for crime victims in an effort to help others," stated Barnett.
The theme of the event was, "From Surviving to Thriving: How to find help after a crime."
Rita Rocker, GOVS Director, says identifying victim services and empowering providers to assist victims were the goals of the panel discussion at Clayton State University.
“Victims not only should be able to survive the crime but should be allowed and able to thrive and move well beyond the victimization that has occurred. Our panel detailed the many services available in Georgia,” says Rocker. “We look forward to assisting crime victims,” she added.
The panelists described the many services available to victims of crime and how to access them.
The panel participants were Andrea Huguley, Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Southern Crescent Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center, Dannielle Lewis, Director of Communications for the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Mel Hewitt, Attorney, Civil Justice for Crime Victims, Jess Roth, Community Intervention and Training Coordinator for Frontline Response, Latoya Mitchell, Director of