Working With Victims of Crime: Building Trust, Seeking Justice, Staying Sane
In June, the “Working with Victims of Crime” workshop convened 20 Massachusetts-based victim advocates from community and court based institutions as well as 20 reporters and editors from print, broadcast and online media.
The reason for the event was simple: both journalists and victim advocates play an important role in the lives of crime victims. However, journalists are often regarded as predators by advocates working on behalf of those victims, while journalists often view advocates as biased because of their work and not always media savvy.
The goal of the workshop was to initiate a conversation between both groups, and the outcome exceeded our expectations. Gathered together in one room for a day, the conversation moved from polite to critical and eventually to a better understanding of each group’s roles and challenges. Advocates found journalists they felt they could trust, and journalists found advocates they felt they could approach to work together in the best interest of a victim—and the truth.
– Stefanie Friedhoff
Special Projects Manager
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