From Pain to Power: Crime Victims Take Action

Across America, victims of crime have turned their agony into
activism. Many have found that participating in community serviceÑ
helping other victims and initiating crime prevention and awareness
programsÑcontributes significantly to their own healing. These
victims include extraordinary people such as Marilyn Smith, who
founded a comprehensive victim service program in Seattle for deaf
and deaf-blind victims of sexual assault after trying unsuccessfully
to find services herself as a deaf sexual assault victim; Azim Khamisa,
who joined with the grandfather of the 14 year-old gang member who
murdered his son to provide gang prevention programs in San Diego
schools; and the many parents who came together after their children
were killed by drunk drivers to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving
in its successful efforts to strengthen laws, provide victim impact
classes, and educate the public about the devastating impact of
this crime.

This monograph chronicles ways in which many crime victims
are channeling their pain into helping others, improving their
communities, and healing themselves at the same time. It describes
opportunities for victims who want to become active and makes
important recommendations for victim service programs regarding
ways to involve victims in community service.