Recently, Vera’s Center on Victimization and Safety hosted a forum to discuss enduring challenges in the crime victims’ services field. We brought together more than 35 experts, including researchers, practitioners, and those whose lives have been touched by violence, to discuss issues that continue to plague the field. I left the forum with a greater understanding not only of all the wonderful work that victim service providers do on a daily basis, tirelessly fighting for victims’ rights and access to services, but also with a keen sense of the work ahead of us in ensuring that all victims of crime have access to the safety and supports they so desperately need.

This forum was part of Vera’s work on the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Initiative, which provides us with an opportunity to take a critical look at these enduring challenges. Vision 21 is a project funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, and is a collaborative effort among OVC, Vera, and four other project partners. Vision 21 seeks to dramatically expand the vision and impact of the crime victim services field in order to meet the needs of all crime victims. By reflecting upon the history of the movement and looking ahead to the future, we aim to challenge the field and the nation to renew its efforts in meeting the needs of all crime victims and survivors.   

To achieve this ambitious goal, we need your input. If you are a victim service provider or a victim/survivor and would like to provide your input, please take a moment to complete a brief anonymous survey online—there are separate surveys for victim service providers and for victims/survivors. And if you would like to share your vision, you can submit your thoughts, comments, and recommendations to the project.

Thank you for contributing to this important endeavor.