SUPPORTING VICTIMS
We’ve spent enough time on the ground witnessing violence to understand that suffering doesn’t end when a shooting is over—and pain doesn’t only affect the victim.
Our victim advocates rush to the hospital to support families in the worst moments of their lives. Matched 1:1, advocates provide both short- and long-term support, legal aid, nonviolence training, and grief counseling for victims and their loved ones to mitigate trauma. They stay close to victims and their allies to provide whatever it takes to manage trauma and ease suffering. Advocates also partner with our outreach workers to prevent retaliation in the community.
Keith Brown, Victim Services Participant expresses how advocates helped him heal and reject retaliation after he lost his son to gun violence.
HELPING PARTICIPANTS HEAL
In 2024, 33 outreach workers and 13 victim advocates responded to 391 shootings across our four community areas, showing up to 98% of them within 60 minutes.
49% of supported victims subsequently joined Nonviolence Chicago programming.
Victim advocates focus on building trusting relationships so they can help victims transform their pain into a strong voice against violence in their community. Advocates also provide long-term support. This form of engagement builds a supportive community around the victim that addresses the need for and accelerates healing.
Victim Advocates provide:
Immediate response
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Emotional support at the scene and hospital
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Emergency relocation/housing support for families, children, etc.
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Emergency Supplemental Victims’ Fund application assistance
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Funeral planning
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Legal assistance/Court support
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Long-term healing
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Counseling
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Mentoring
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Nonviolence training
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Cognitive behavioral interventions
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Grief and Survivor support groups
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Community engagement
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Resource referrals
My son has been killed. But [Nonviolence Chicago] has been there and has been a big support. It’s not just a job with them. It’s genuine, and I really appreciate it.
Victim Services Participant
