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Victim Assistance
Up one levelVictim assistance is an often overlooked area of ministry for those accustomed to working with offenders. These resources provide programme models and basic information important for working with victims of crime.
- Neighbors Who Care
- One result of Prison Fellowship USA’s interest in restorative justice was the development of a church-based ministry to victims called Neighbors Who Care (NWC). It was designed to be a ministry of local churches to demonstrate and communicate the love of Christ by addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of crime victims during the first days after the crime takes place. Its name was drawn from the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), who loved his neighbour when he cared for a stranger who was the victim of a crime.
- Crime's Impact on Victims
- Crimes cause crises that remove victims from their normal range of experiences and challenge their coping mechanisms. The realization that they cannot control what happens to them can shatter victims’ sense of safety and security. This trauma can touch many areas of victims’ lives. Understanding the impact of crime on victims is important preparation for working with them, for helping offenders understand the impact of their actions, and for ministering to prisoners and other people who have themselves been victims of crime.