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Lackawanna Trail graduate John Glenn extends stay with Seattle Seahawks

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In our community, virtually everyone is or knows a victim or survivor of crime.Crime is not &#8220;somebody else&#8217;s problem&#8221; but, rather, a collective challenge that has often devastating effects on individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools, businesses and our community as a whole.During 2015 National Crime Victims&#8217; Rights Week &#8211; April 19 to 25 &#8211; we can embrace this special week&#8217;s theme that &#8220;engages communities and empowers victims&#8221; right here in Luzerne County.Anyone in our community can be there to help a family member or friend who is harmed by crime, in the immediate aftermath and in the long run. You can simply say &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry&#8221; and do whatever is needed to help a victim feel safe and supported. People can volunteer to help all crime victims at the Victims Resource Center and strengthen our efforts to provide quality services and support to survivors who greatly need them.We can empower victims by treating them with the respect and dignity they deserve, and by avoiding anything that judges, blames or shames them.Empowerment means supporting victims&#8217; choices whether or not to report a crime; helping victims who do report to understand justice processes and their rights; making sure they have access to health and mental health services if they need them; and doing whatever is needed to help them on their often difficult journey to justice and healing.To show our support for victims of violence, the Victims Resource Center will hold a Crime Victims Week Rally at 6 p.m. Wednesday at The Angeline Kirby Health Center, 71 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre. The rally will include survivors of violence speaking on their experiences, plus presentations by King&#8217;s College students and a professional from the community. The public is welcome.During this week and throughout the year, the Victims Resource Center invites our community to help us help victims and survivors of crime &#8211; and to help us make sure that victims&#8217; rights and services are not just celebrated annually, but practiced daily.For more information on services offered by the Victims Resource Center, call our 24-hour hotline at 570-823-0765.Janet MacKayExecutive directorVictims Resource CenterWilkes-Barre

Letter to the Editor: Attend rally in Wilkes-Barre to support victims of violence