MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, is joining with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025.

This year’s theme, Kinship, recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.

This annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through kinship holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.

National Crime Victims’ Rights week was established in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime. The week is an opportunity “to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Many people think justice is only a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice means being heard, treated with dignity and respect, and restored to the degree that goal can be achieved through restitution, treatment, and other remedies. My office will continue to strive to honor the voices of crime victims throughout all stages of federal criminal prosecutions.”

U.S. Attorney O’Shea also praised the work of those in law enforcement and in the larger community who support crime victims, “being a crime victim can have lifelong impacts on an individual’s mental and physical health. Providing emotional support and other assistance to crime victims is an invaluable part of providing justice and I applaud those who do this important work.” 

More information about Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.