OCO’s SAF Program Recognizes Oswego County Probation Department During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

OSWEGO, NY – Last week, communities and victim service providers across the country recognized National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The events and campaigns held during the week of April 23 through the 29 promoted victims’ rights and honored crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme of “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Affect Change,” encouraged individuals to elevate the voices of survivors in order to build community trust so victims are not afraid or reluctant to participate in the criminal justice system.

Oswego County Opportunities’ Services to Aid Families (SAF) program is Oswego County’s licensed domestic violence and rape crisis program, and also works with the New York State Office of Victim Services to assist innocent victims of crime.

“News coverage of crime is common. Almost daily, stories about crime are front and center in newspapers, online media, and television,”SAF Senior Manager of Quality and Education Sara Carmichael said. “What’s often lost in such coverage is the severe impact crime has on victims and their loved ones. I could cite a long list of statistics regarding how many people in the nation and in our county are victims of crime. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. They don’t speak to or accurately reflect the physical, emotional, psychological, or financial toll that crime and the actions of perpetrators have on victims and their families. Not to mention the lasting trauma.”

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week provides an opportunity to recommit to reaching across the aisle and working with all community partners to raise awareness and show that help is out there.

“Our efforts at SAF cannot succeed without the help and support of local law enforcement, prosecutors, probation, social service organizations, and other victim service providers,” Carmichael said.

Last year for Crime Victims’ Rights Week, SAF recognized the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Oswego County as part of a new tradition of acknowledging a person or agency that works to help and support victims of crime in Oswego County. This year, SAF recognized the Oswego County Probation Department for their work in enhancing community safety and holding offenders accountable.

“Probation has always had a great, collaborative relationship with SAF to help us in supporting victims and survivors and has consistently been involved in our county’s domestic violence coalition over the past several years,” Carmichael said. “I can’t say enough great things about the individuals in the Probation Department and all they do to help us help victims,” added Executive Director of the CAC of Oswego County Tory DeCaire.

“We really appreciate this recognition and the collaboration with groups like SAF and the CAC,” Oswego County Probation Director David Hall said. “These partnerships play such a significant role in helping victims get the justice they deserve, ensuring their safety, and ensuring that we are working to create a community where survivors are believed and supported.”

Funding provided by the New York State Office of Victim Services allows SAF to provide crisis intervention, counseling, emergency shelter, advocacy, and 24/7 hotline assistance. Additionally, staff from SAF and the CAC will assist any innocent victim of crime in filling out an application for crime victims’ compensation to help recover out of pocket expenses, including: medical bills, lost wages, loss of essential personal property, funeral expenses, and more.

If you or someone you know is a victim or survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking, please call SAF’s Crisis Hotline at (315) 342-1600. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and is free and confidential. SAF is the domestic violence and rape crisis program for Oswego County and has provided crisis, supportive, advocacy and educational services throughout Oswego County for more than 40 years.

OCO, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966. OCO helps lift people out of poverty through more than 50 human service programs that serve over 15,000 people each year. For more information, visit www.oco.org.

Print this entry