JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – People who've become victims of crime are being honored this week across the country and in Jacksonville.
The City of Jacksonville is teaming up with other local agencies, like law enforcement, judges and victim advocates to host a series of events to recognize crime victims as part of the local observance of National Crime Victims' Week, April 6-12.
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The Chair of the Mayors Victims Assistance Advisory Council, Richard Komando, said this week is so important. It's great for victims of all sorts of crimes to learn their rights and see the support they have from the community, and it's also good for the public to get involved to learn what they can do to help.
"This is an opportunity for us, the people who work with victims, to show how much we appreciate them and how much we believe they're courageous and strong," said Komando.
Komando said this is a week crime victims deserve. Many victims aren't aware of the rights and support they have and this week's public rallies, candlelight vigils and other similar activities held across the nation help bring attention to that.
"We're working to make sure people remember victims have a right to be informed, present and heard in any proceedings they have been involved in as an unwilling victim of crime," said Komando.
He also said it's important for everyone to know about the many crime fighting and victims' advocate groups we have in our city.
"I think one of the messages we try to get out is anyone can be a victim of crime, it doesn't discriminate against economic status, it doesn,t against race or any boundary I've ever been aware of," said Komando.
Tuesday's events are the awards luncheon and resource fair. The resource fair is from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and the luncheon will follow from Noon to 1:30 p.m. They're both at the Jacksonville Downtown Main Library.
The parents of Jordan Davis will be there, receiving the Courageous Victims Award for their work in the community.