Voices for Victims: How PIOs and Victim Services Can Partner to Prioritize Victims’ Rights and Needs скачать в хорошем качестве

Voices for Victims: How PIOs and Victim Services Can Partner to Prioritize Victims’ Rights and Needs

This webinar highlights the distinct yet complementary roles within public safety agencies. Victim service professionals focus on crisis intervention, safety planning, referrals, accompaniment, and ongoing support. Public Information Officers serve as the bridge between agencies and the community, delivering timely, accurate information that builds public trust. While their responsibilities differ, both share a unified mission: strengthening community confidence while prioritizing victim rights. A key focus of the session is the impact of media coverage on victim trauma and healing. When victims learn case updates at the same time as the public—or are unaware of upcoming press conferences—additional harm can occur. Poor communication may lead to disengagement, reduced cooperation, and long-term distrust. In contrast, trauma-informed, victim-centered communication practices improve trust and promote more positive experiences, even when case outcomes are difficult. In this training, you’ll learn practical strategies for: Coordinating between PIOs and victim advocates before press releases and press conferences Providing advance notice to victims and families Offering opportunities for written statements Allowing families to select photographs Reviewing messaging through a trauma-informed lens Preparing victims for media interviews while reinforcing that participation is voluntary The webinar also addresses social media challenges, including misinformation, public commentary, and victim blaming, and offers proactive communication strategies to protect investigative integrity and community trust. Designed for law enforcement leaders, public information officers, victim advocates, prosecutors, and justice professionals, this session reframes victim-centered communication as both compassionate practice and a strategic investment in long-term public trust.