All survivors deserve equitable access to healing.
Fair Access to Victim Compensation
The Fair Access To Victim Compensation Campaign is a state-wide campaign, led by several local New York-based groups and national organizations who are fighting for expanded and equitable access to victim compensation funds. Currently in New York State, survivors of violence are subject to onerous law enforcement reporting requirements when filing for victim compensation funds, and barred from access if they allegedly contributed to the crime in question or failed to show physical injury associated with their harm. This denies resources to countless survivors that could be used to pay for medical bills, funeral expenses, replacement of personal property, relocation expenses, and other costs associated with the harm they experienced.
Our goal is to raise awareness about the victim compensation program and propose several legislative bills to eliminate any barriers to access that survivors face. The first bill of the campaign removes the requirement that survivors report their harm to police in order to be eligible for victim compensation by expanding the forms of evidence that could be used to show that a survivor suffered harm. We are calling on elected officials in New York State to support and pass the Fair Access to Victim Compensation bill S.214A (Myrie) / A.2105A (Meeks) to ensure that all survivors have access to healing.
Resources
WEBINAR
Shifting the Narrative on Violence: Steps We Can Take to Support Survivors & End Mass Incarceration
On Monday, January 30th we held a virtual discussion with directly impacted New Yorkers and other advocates leading campaigns for change. This event was organized and hosted by Common Justice, The Release Aging People in Prison Campaign (RAPP Campaign), and the Center for Community Alternatives (CCA). This webinar covered urgent topics relating to justice for survivors of violence and other harms, the relationship between state violence and interpersonal violence, and statewide advocacy campaigns to make our state more healthy, equitable, and fair. Watch the full recording of the webinar here:
PRESS INQUIRIES
Journalists and others seeking information about the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Campaign and should contact Common Justice's Director of Communications, Chanda Daniels at [email protected].
FAVC REPORT
Eliminating Barriers To Healing: An examination of victim compensation in New York State
In this report, we explore the importance of victim compensation to the healing of victims and survivors, the often insurmountable barriers that victims and survivors face when they attempt to collect these lifesaving funds, and the real-life experiences of victim service providers, as well as victims and survivors, who know firsthand what it means to struggle through and recover from harm
Our Partners
Steering Committee
Common Justice
Everytown for Gun Safety
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
Safehorizon
Not Another Child
New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Brady United Against Gun Violence
Coalition Members
Equal Justice USA (EJUSA)
Katal Center for Equity, Health, & Justice
NY State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV)
Rising Ground - STEPS to End Family Violence,
Neighborhood Benches
Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP)
NewHourLI
Good Call
Hands of Excellence
Urban Resource Institute
VOCAL-NY
Giffords
Citizen Action of New York
Center for Community Alternatives (CCA)
Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI)
Alliance of Families
Girls for Gender Equity
Immigrant Defense Project
Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)S.O.U.L. Sisters Leadership Collective
New Alternatives For LGBT Homeless Youth
Restorative Action Alliance
Malcolm X Commemoration Committee
Both Sides of the Violence
Womankind
My Angel Doula Alliance
Center for Justice at Columbia University
Urban Grief
The Korean American Family Service Center
Day One
Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI)
Violence Intervention Program (VIPmujeres)
Sakhi for South Asian Women
Community Justice Action Fund
NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault
Long Live Our Butterfly, Inc
Joyful Heart Foundation
Sanctuary for Families
Where Do We Go From Here
Both Sides of the Violence