After the Sirens: Healing, Dignity, and Support for Survivors
Survivors Empowered is a recipient of a $5,000 Community Awareness Project grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in support of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) 2026.
The campaign will educate survivors, families, community violence response teams, healthcare workers, first responders, and news reporters about common trauma responses and available support services. Educational materials will be distributed through community partners, survivor networks, public events, and online platforms to ensure broad accessibility.
When violence occurs, sirens signal urgency and action. But when the sirens fade, and the cameras leave, survivors are often left alone—disoriented, traumatized, and unsure of our rights or where to turn for help. This campaign ensures that communities understand what survivors need next: respect, informed care, and the assurance that their rights and humanity still matter when the emergency response is over."
The grant-funded initiative includes three key components:
Public Educational Forum
A free, online public forum featuring Griffin Dunne, actor, director, producer, and author of The Friday Afternoon Club.
The forum will feature survivor advocates and trauma-informed educators including Brenda Mitchell, grief trauma therapy specialist; Betsy Shapiro, ATR-BC art therapist; Uvalde survivor and activist, Brett Cross; and the cofounders of Survivors Empowered, Sandy and Lonnie Phillips.
Topics will include victims’ rights, understanding trauma responses, respecting survivor autonomy, and pathways to trauma-informed support and healing.
Thursday, April 23, 2026│3pm EDT
Educational Materials
Trauma-informed resources:
- Survivors’ Bill of Rights for Violence
- Symptoms of Shock
- Victims’ rights cards with resource directories
Digital and Social Media Campaign
A coordinated national outreach campaign featuring survivor-centered graphics, educational posts on survivors’ rights and trauma responses, and links to trauma therapy resources. Digital outreach ensures access for survivors who may not be ready or able to attend in-person events.
This grant reflects the critical need for public education that affirms survivors' humanity and right to healing. We're grateful to the Office for Victims of Crime for supporting this work and enabling us to reach survivors nationwide during National Crime Victims' Rights Week and beyond.
This project is supported by a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Community Awareness Project subgrant awarded by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators through grant number 15POVC-24-GK-01921-NONF awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.