For seven days outside the Warren County Courthouse, hundreds of colorful pinwheels stood in silent vigil. They testified to the lives of people who have come into contact with the court system, not as offenders, but as victims.Local advocates for the victims of assault, abuse and other crimes recognized National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 7-13. The annual observance is organized by the federal Office for Victims of Crime during crime victim awareness month in April, to help communities raise awareness for the services available to victims.In Warren County, crime victims are put into contact with Toni Truetken, a victim advocate with the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office. Truetken helps victims stay informed about court cases against those who hurt and traumatized them, and helps them prepare for the stresses of the court. She said many cases place great emotional strain on victims and their families.“It’s quite a roller coaster ride. Most of the time cases don’t go to trial the first time they’re scheduled to go to trial, for various different reasons,” Truetken said. “Once we finally get to trial, there’s a lot of adrenaline. Sometimes there may be safety concerns.”In 2018, 500 victims received advocacy services, she said.Advocates like Truetken can be present with victims in court, and try to make them comfortable with the legal process. But it’s difficult to completely relieve the frustration of people waiting for justice, or the pain of families when the victim and accused are related to each other.It’s important for victims to be informed about the justice system so they can manage their expectations, Truetken said. Criminal cases can take a long time — often more than a year for minor crimes, and up to two years for felonies, she explained. Criminal cases going to trial take longest of all, and don’t always result in convictions, she said.“It’s not like it is on TV. Cases are not prosecuted in a one-hour time slot,” commented Truetken.And when cases do eventually make it to trial, victims who have already retold their stories and relived their trauma multiple times may have to do so again.Some of the most difficult cases for those awaiting justice involve domestic violence or sexual abuse where the abuser is a family member. Those are the cases that tear families apart, Truetken said.Many such victims still care for the people accused of hurting them, complicating their emotional strain. Part of the job of advocate is to make sure victims have a voice in the prosecution, and that their needs are recognized.“Depending on how much exposure you’ve had to (crime), it’s going to make a difference in how you respond to it,” Truetken said. “Just because someone seems OK, like they’re normal on the outside, doesn’t mean that they’re not experiencing incredible trauma on the inside.”It can be especially frustrating when crime victims get blamed for what has happened to them, she added.Advocates in the court can also connect crime victims with other resources in the community that can help them cope with what they’re going through, as well as addressing other needs related to their health or living situation.Jolynn Houchins, executive director of Turning Point Advocacy Services, said criminal abuse victims seeking help come from many diverse backgrounds. Turning Point provides shelter and advocacy for people who have been the victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse or sex trafficking. The organization is on track to serve more than 400 victims this year.Some of those victims have already approached law enforcement when they seek services, Houchins said. For those people, Turning Point provides its own advocates who work with Truetken and others in the court to help victims navigate the challenges and emotional difficulty of the court system. Those advocates are one of the few sources of social support for some victims.Others who have experienced abuse in their personal lives aren’t seeking prosecution; they’re just looking for help finding a safe situation, Houchins said.Leaving a familiar living situation, even a dangerous one, and often giving up their homes to seek help from strangers is a difficult decision for victims, she commented. It requires a lot of bravery that’s hard to understand for those outside the situation, who wonder why the victims of violence don’t ‘just leave.’“It’s much more complicated than that,” Houchins explained. “Like any other relationship, often there was some courtship, some strong feelings for the other person. Those don’t just turn off like a switch when abuse begins.”Other complications, such as children, finances and family, can keep victims tied to people who hurt them. Houchins said it’s important to recognize that each person is the expert in their own situation.The best way to help victims, Houchins said, is to start by recognizing that their choices are valid. Victims have a right to make whatever choice they think is best for their own lives. And just because they don’t leave or seek help right away, that doesn’t mean their situation “isn’t that bad.”When victims do find the strength to seek help, Houchins said it can be incredibly rewarding to take that emotional roller coaster with them, to be there to support them and connect victims to resources that can help them.“We meet many amazing families who work hard to start over. We’re grateful to be able to provide the help they need to do that.”

Hundreds of pinwheels were stations outside the Warren County Courthouse for a week, representing hundreds of local people who were the victims of crime in 2018.

Record photo/Adam Rollins