Preventing Re-Victimization

All too often victims of crime report that enduring the criminal justice system is itself a type of victimization - a secondary or re-victimization.  Factors that impact how victims experience the system include how they are treated during the process, and the amount of control and participatory access that they have. NCVLI fights daily to protect victims’ rights, in large part, to prevent re-victimization.

Most recently, we had to fight in Washington State.  A defendant in a domestic violence case moved the trial court to order the victim to not only allow defense counsel into her home to investigate, but to also allow defendant to be present in the home during the investigation. The victim did not object to defense counsel’s entrance but absolutely objected to defendant’s invasion of the sanctity of her home.  Wonderfully the prosecutor heard the victim and reached out to NCVLI for help.  NCVLI conducted research and drafted a memorandum addressing victim’s right to prohibit defendant access.  Relying on the arguments that NCVLI crafted, the prosecutor successfully fought defendant’s request and the victim was spared this re-victimization!
   

To read a recent Bulletin published by NCVLI on secondary victimization, click here. 

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