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2007 National Crime Victims' Rights Week The honorees received special recognition during the awards ceremony hosted April 20, 2007, by the Office for Victims of Crime to honor victim advocates, organizations, and programs in the field of victim services.
National Crime Victim Service Award To view more details, click on a photo for an enlarged view.
Florrie Burke Florrie Burke, a licensed psychotherapist with a background in clinical psychology, came to Safe Horizon in 2001 to work in the SOLACE program for survivors of torture. She helped start the Anti-Trafficking Program there in the fall of 2001, while developing and instituting a training program and direct intervention model to assist victims of the World Trade Center attacks. Florrie has been working with trafficked persons since 1997, when she designed and implemented specialized social services for 60 Deaf Mexicans held in slavery. Florrie has provided training, consultation, and technical assistance nationally and internationally to law enforcement, governmental and non governmental organizations, and community groups in cases of human trafficking. Florrie is guided by strong ethical and professional standards and understands the importance of mentoring and nurturing the people that she works with to become the leaders of tomorrow. She helped develop a program for survivors of trafficking to become mentors for other clients. Using a Human Rights approach, Florrie has been proactive in helping to develop policies that directly affect victims and survivors and has been instrumental in developing guidelines for responding to large raids and rescues involving multiple victims. Florrie has not only affected local, state, and national policy but she has also played an instrumental role in helping other countries develop model practices. She has coauthored numerous articles and publications, including “Safety Planning Standards for Trafficked and Enslaved Persons: A Guide for Service Providers and Attorneys.” Florrie is a pioneer in the field of human trafficking and modern day slavery, and the impact of her work can be seen on the faces of those she helps. Florrie Burke was nominated by Gordon Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Safe Horizon, Inc., New York, New York.
Jacque MacDonald Jacque MacDonald's life changed forever when she received a call on March 25, 1988, informing her that her daughter, Debi, had been robbed, brutally murdered, and raped while Debi's 3-year-old daughter slept nearby. She was also informed that the murderer had not been apprehended by law enforcement. Jacque began a relentless personal search for her daughter's killer. During her own search for justice, she was moved by the stories of other families of homicide victims and resolved to create a local sounding board for those who had suffered the same loss. In 1996, with the help of a local cable television station, Jacque taped “The Victim's Voice,” a program dedicated to the search for justice for crime victims and their families. On a shoestring budget, Jacque has kept “The Victim's Voice” on the air for 10 years; the show is now in 60 communities. The program highlights unsolved cases, crime legislation, the criminal justice system, law enforcement, and the impact of crimes on other families. In 2000, “The Victim's Voice” took to the airwaves as Jacque began broadcasting a weekly radio talk show. She has been on the side of countless families over the years as they struggle to come to terms with a life-altering tragedy. A tireless advocate for crime victims' legislation, Jacque has lobbied the California legislature to amend the penal code and criminalize the rape of a dead body. Jacque has helped to bring attention and financial resources to victims and their families. Jacque, through her work with “The Victim's Voice,” continues to serve as a beacon of hope for others seeking justice for their murdered relatives and friends. Jacque MacDonald was nominated by Larry Morse II, District Attorney, Merced County District Attorney's Office, Merced, California.
Oglala Sioux Tribe Victim's Assistance in Indian Country The Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) Victim's Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) has served Native American crime victims on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota for the past 15 years. VAIC provides victims of violent crime and their families with a variety of services, including assistance in navigating the legal process, obtaining medical and psychological treatment, and helping families meet their needs in the aftermath of violence and trauma. The program consists of only four staff members who go above and beyond the call of duty and find innovative ways to provide services to the entire reservation, which spans nine districts and has a total population of more than 45,000. The list of accomplishments for the territory is quite extensive. The team at VAIC provides immediate assistance to victims, whether it is at the center, at the court, or locating a runaway child. This past year, VAIC staff worked to establish new laws and protocols regarding cases in which a child sexually assaults another child. They lobbied for protocols that would not only address the needs of the child victim but would also implement treatment programs for the child offender. They also created working partnerships with the OST Court System and Public Safety Department to ensure quicker victim identification following a violent crime. The program has changed victims' attitudes toward the legal process and made the process less intimidating by using an approach guided by compassion and kindness. VAIC has raised awareness of these crimes on the reservation and helped victims seek help as well as ensure that offenders receive punishment. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Victim's Assistance in Indian Country was nominated by Carolyn G. Royce, Assistant United States Attorney, Rapid City, Idaho. |
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