Assignment: Services for Victims of Violence and Crime

During one week in April of each year, the US Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) sponsors the National Crime Victims' Rights Week. You may notice a wave of antiviolence events, walks or runs for victims' rights, candlelight ceremonies, empty shoe displays, and other memorial services occurring nationwide that particular week. The OVC uses such events to increase public awareness of victims' rights and services. Human service providers often participate in these events, as many clients have been victims of violence and/or crime during their lifetimes. Often, that victimization caused the clients' need for services; other times, the clients were victimized because of their other disabilities or vulnerabilities.

Victims may have experienced one or more of the following crimes: campus crime, child victimization, domestic violence, drunk driving, elder abuse, hate crime, homicide, human trafficking, identity theft, sexual violence, stalking, terrorism, or workplace violence (OVC, 2011).

For this assignment, select one of these crimes and search the Argosy University online library or other academic sources to locate at least one article describing research findings related to the crime and its victims. Design a poster you could use to further public awareness of the mental health effects of crime on its victims. Be sure to support your statements with citations of your source(s). Be sure to describe the psychological effects of that particular crime on its victims by including the following in your poster:

At least one image, table, figure, or other form of graphic art.

At least three of the symptoms victims may experience.

At least two available victims' services in your community, state, or at the national level for victims of that particular crime.