The Victim Assistant 🐼

 I recently wrote a blog post on how survivors of abuse can take back their power. I offered many suggestions including supporting yourself and empowerment. Part of honoring yourself is to hold others accountable for their actions towards you that created a loss in your life. One way to hold offenders accountable for their actions in the criminal justice process is to write a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) to the court. If you have been a victim of crime and involved in a criminal case, all fifty states allow Victim Impact Statements to be expressed at some point in the criminal justice process. Sometimes a Victim Impact Statement will be presented to the judge in a pre-sentence report, at sentencing, or at parole hearings. The most important impact of a Victim Impact Statement is the opportunity for victims to focus the attention to the cost of crime on human beings and allows victims a substantial part in the judicial process especially if the victim reads the statement to the court.

Leaving a relationship and letting go of the connected past is undoubtedly difficult. Imagine what it would be like to leave an abusive relationship; a relationship riddled with power and control, fear, gaslighting, isolation, and sometimes physical abuse. Imagine the strength and courage it takes to make a decision that could have severe consequences. Once you evaluated the situation, sought professional advice, and executed the evacuation plan safely; how do you live your life free from abuse? It is so complicated and there is not one answer. Every situation is different and everyone's support systems and plans vary. The only constant is in the way we take back our power! Life after Domestic Violence means learning to take back your power. When I was going through my separation, I had a dear friend say something to me that I didn't realize I let go of. I was telling him about my situation and challenges.  I can't remember exactly what I said but his reply to my worry and