Crime Victim Feels Empowered by Advocates
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Courtesy: The Athens Banner-Herald
By Julie Phillips
(For reprints, contact the Athens Banner-Herald)
If you've never been a victim of a violent crime, it's hard to even imagine the emotional turmoil.
Guilt, shame, loss of control, confusion, fear, post-traumatic stress - the list of side effects goes on.
As if that weren't enough, there are the financial costs incurred - in some cases medical fees or needs for counseling, and costs for damages to property.
Then there's the legal jargon and the tricky navigation through the court system as the case goes to trial.
This all came crashing down on Athens resident Merrily Dunn a few years ago, when her child was the victim of a violent crime.
Talking about it today, her voice still wavers a little.
"I felt so, so safe here, and that's part of what this person took away from me," she said of the man who was convicted of a crime she lived through with her child.
That loss of safety is a familiar feeling for many in Athens this week, as residents continue to deal with the shock of the April 25 murders of three Town & Gown Players.
"That's what Saturday did to Athens," Dunn noted of those shootings. "Some of that feeling of safety and 'it can't happen here' was taken away.' "
Last week was National Crime Victims' Rights Week, which passed pretty quietly in Athens. On Friday, a tree was planted outside the Family Protection Center on Lexington Road, in memory and recognition of all the victims of crime in this area, said Barbara Barnett, victim advocate for the District Attorney's office in Athens.
Barnett is one of seven victim advocates in the District Attorney's office who comes to the aid of victims of crime. She stresses the importance that victims know there are people who can help them.
"We want people to be aware that victims have rights, because for so long, they didn't," Barnett said of the national Victim of Crimes Act, passed in 1984.
The act aims to help victims of crimes beyond just the punishment of the criminal. It provides state assistance programs to help compensate victims in a variety of ways.
"(Victims) have a right to speak in court, they have a right to input, to knowing what's going on with their case, they have the right to talk to the attorney handling the case, rights to restitution - basically we act as a liaison between the victim and the court," Barnett said. "And we're also just here as somebody they can talk to, so they know they're not alone."
That's something Dunn counts as invaluable. Her victim advocate was Michelle Dickens, who also works in the District Attorney's office.
"We were surrounded by friends and family who love us and take care of us, but there's nothing that can prepare you for something like this until it happens," Dunn said. "Michelle knew and understood. She helped me understand that anything we were feeling was normal ... which is important, because there were times when I really felt a little bit crazy. People are so well-meaning, and they want to tell you that everything is OK and that you're safe now, but that's not how you feel."
More than that, Dunn said she and her child were empowered. As witnesses, both had to testify in court.
"The way Michelle empowered us - she did it in a way that was so strong and caring and understanding," she said, adding her otherwise shy child was able to speak about the terrible thing that happened to her, even in the pressure of the courtroom.
"It's important that people know that this is available," Dunn added of the VOCA and her advocate. "They need to know that there are professionals who are well-trained and care, and who can truly make a huge difference in someone's experience."
On the Web
To learn more about the Victims of Crime Act, visit www.victimsrights.com.
