Attempted Murder Victim Establishes First National Organization to Directly Help Survivors of Crime -- New Nonprofit Organization Witness Justice" To Provide a Virtual Community of Support While Leveling Disparity in Victim Services

EMBARGOED -- FOR DECEMBER 2002 PUBLICATIONS The scheduled December 2002 launch of Witness Justice will mark the inception of the first U.S. national organization directly serving victims of violent crime by providing direct access to comprehensive information and support to victims regardless of where they live. The organization, founded by Helga West, was created to give victims of violent crime a chance to connect with and help one another via online message boards and chats, to provide a clearinghouse of information and resources to help individuals through every aspect of the judicial system, and help with the physical/emotional recovery processes, and to provide friends and family members of victims with valuable tools and information to better support their victimized loved ones.

Washington, DC -- The scheduled December 2002 launch of Witness Justice will mark the inception of the first U.S. national organization directly serving victims of violent crime by providing direct access to comprehensive information and support to victims regardless of where they live. The organization, founded by Helga West, was created to give victims of violent crime a chance to connect with and help one another via online message boards and chats, to provide a clearinghouse of information and resources to help individuals through every aspect of the judicial system, and help with the physical/emotional recovery processes, and to provide friends and family members of victims with valuable tools and information to better support their victimized loved ones.

With 52% of violent crime victims not even reporting their crimes, many individuals never find their way to traditional service providers through law enforcement or state attorneys offices. Witness Justice will be accessible 24/7 and provide a much-needed consistency in services and information that often varies dramatically from state-to-state and county-to-county.

Witness Justice will be launched as a virtual organization, providing a full scope of resources and information including:
•   The First 24 Hours (understanding what has happened and establishing a critical sense of immediate physical and emotional safety)
•   Steps to Healing
•   Direct access to experts (mental health, legal, relationship, etc.)
•   A virtual community (message boards where victims can connect)
•   Materials to help victims navigate the criminal justice system
•   Information for friends and family
•   Channels of activism

As reflected in the name Witness Justice," the organization focuses on empowering witnesses -- people who have survived a violent act and live on. Describing victims as witnesses is intentional, as it puts individuals in more of an active role with some control," West noted. This is important in reestablishing safety and esteem." Witness Justice" also reflects the organizations mission to help every victim to witness his or her own personal sense of justice and recovery.

West has first-hand knowledge of why Witness Justice is so important and needed in communities around the country. In 1993 she fell victim to an attempted murder while vacationing in Florida. At the time, tourist-targeted bump and grab" crime was a major problem and Wests story became one of many highlighted nationally by the media.

While the physical injuries she sustained left West in danger of paralysis - with neurological damage, extreme back and neck pain, a permanent scar from a bite wound that ripped through the muscle of her arm, and debilitating migraine headaches - West mobilized quickly after the incident, responding as an activist for tourist safety and greater state-supported precautions. Her story and message were heard on programs like Larry King Live, Prime Time Live, and Good Morning America. Wests advocacy was instrumental in fostering better signage on Florida State highways and near Miami International Airport, the removal of car rental agency logo stickers on vehicles, the mainstreaming of rental car license plates that were once specifically marked and easy for predators to spot, and other public safety improvements.

Wanting to see her assailants off the streets and away from other potential victims, West also pursued justice with detectives and state officials. It was during this process that she learned first-hand about the many frustrations victims feel and the gap in services offered. In addition to waiting three years for an assailant to go through a jury trial, she encountered an array of delays and postponements, along with other frustrations like lost evidence and having to wait an entire year to have the defendant tested for HIV/AIDS to determine whether she had been exposed to the virus. West has also faced the recurring need to work with the state to maintain justice in seeing the defendant serve his full life sentence - something that many victims encounter as their convicted assailants seek appeals, hearings, and early parole. She knows the reality that defendants arent the only ones serving a sentence"; victims too must face years of healing and returning to the memories of violent crime when working with the justice system. After enduring much of her experience alone and hearing many all-too-familiar stories from other victims, West decided to create Witness Justice to provide the support and community that victims need but frequently do not get.

Ive often thought about how helpful it would be to have a network of people who have lived through this kind of nightmare - to ask questions, share stories, offer solutions or just gain a sense of connection and understanding," says West. Witness Justice ensures that every person has the support and information they need, when they need it."

Witness Justice is a national nonprofit organization founded in April 2002 by Helga West. The mission of the organization is to empower victims of violent crime with the information, support, and tools needed to establish a sense of personal justice and healing. For more information about Witness Justice, please visit www.WitnessJustice.org (launch scheduled for December 2002) or call 800-4WJ-HELP.

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NOTE: December 16, 2002 will mark the first annual National Day of Victim Justice for which we anticipate receiving a Presidential Proclamation from George W. Bush.