Overview
This spring, DMACC students and staff are officially invited to participate in honoring National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which is recognized annually across the nation.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, NCVRW for short, is run by the Office for Victims of Crime, and it aims to honor crime victims and survivors, and recognize professionals and volunteers who provide services to victims of crime. It also aims to raise awareness about acts of crime and their effects on victims, and what the community can do to provide help and hope for victims.
This year’s theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.”
DMACC’s Criminal Justice program, with the help of faculty, students, and clubs, will be organizing guest speakers, panels, displays, and giveaways from Monday, April 1 through Thursday, April 4. These events will be at various DMACC locations, including Ankeny, Ames, Boone, Carroll, Newton, Perry, Southridge, and Urban.
NCVRW had numerous helping hands putting it together including victim services community agencies, graphic design students, sociology, psychology, and criminal justice students and instructors. Faculty and staff who have helped organize events include: Michael Peck, Wes Breckenridge, Becca Pappian, Julie Roosa, Andy Langager, Jessica Cole, Cory McClure, Maggie Jambor, Jim Stick, Jeanie, McCarville, and Samantha O’Hara.
NCVRW at DMACC in Past Years
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has been honored at DMACC annually for many years. In 2023, the theme was “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effective Change.” The theme called upon individuals and communities to recognize survivors’ voices, and to provide support and confidence that they are heard and valued.
Featured events included “A Walk-Through Time” a Crime Victims’ Rights” installation by DMACC Graphic Design students, a Story Walk outdoor reading experience, a “What They Wore” window installation provided by the DMACC Fashion Design Institute, and a variety of speaker presentations that focused on survivors of Crime.
Presentations included a panel presentation on “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effective Change. – on the College Campus” with Drake University and Simpson College, and an “In Her Shoes” domestic violence simulation by Children and Families of Iowa.
2024 Events and Activities at Ankeny Campus
From Monday, April 1, through Friday, April 5, the Ankeny DMACC library is hosting a story walk for the book “Catching Flight: Soaring on the Wings of Birds” by Rabekah Lowell. The walkthrough symbolizes the books’ themes of hope, community, and resilience, and is highly encouraged for DMACC students to attend. The walk-through is free and open to the public.
On Monday, April 1, there will be a variety of activities in Building 5 including a “What They Wore” installation by DMACC Fashion Design students and a Domestic Violence Simulation assisted by DMACC instructor Peggy Urtz and staff with Children and Families of Iowa.
Speaker Special Deputy Anthony Kava, a digital forensics examiner and cyber-crime investigator, will present “The Cari Farver Homicide: A Cold Case in the Digital Age.” from 12:50 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. This presentation outlines a 21st-century investigation and aims to address the dangers of the world and how law enforcement works with victims in a constantly changing atmosphere.
On Wednesday, April 3 in the Building 6 Auditorium, a panel discussion “True Crime- True Impact” will be held from 10:10 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. to examine the ethics and law of crime reporting. A panel of experts will be speaking on these topics including Randy Evans, Executive Director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and retired Des Moines Register Opinion Editor, Paul Parizek, Public Information Officer, Des Moines Police Department, and Sarah Bird, Victim/Witness Coordinator, Polk County Attorney’s Office.
In the Building 6 Auditorium from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. a presentation titled “The Survivor’s Voice and Law Enforcement Support” features an abuse survivor and a law enforcement officer to offer a look into what interactions between the law and the community look like.
Speakers Marc Bacha, Assistant Chief of Police of the Algona Police Department, and Millie Kehrli, a crime survivor, will be answering questions and sharing tips regarding perspectives with law enforcement and domestic violence. Kehrli will be sharing her experiences of 30 years of abuse, and advocates from Children and Families of Iowa and Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Services will provide information and support for those interested.
Events at Ames, Boone, Carroll, Newton, Perry, Southridge, and Urban campus can be found at ncvrw.dmacc.edu.
The organizers of the event highly encourage DMACC students and staff to attend these events to bring awareness to victims of crime and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and to gain information on how to provide help and hope to victims.
Comments