Washington, DC — Increased reports of rampant violence in the devastated Gulf Coast region has brought to light another key disaster preparedness failure that will have enormous social, economic, and emotional consequences for years to come. Displaced from jurisdictions in which the crimes against them took place, victims of violence — from rape to domestic violence to physical assault, along with other forms of violence — are wondering if officials have simply forgotten about their needs as they struggle to find out how to report crimes, seek justice, and locate emotional support and compensation services.

Under the best of circumstances, one's odds of falling victim to violent crime in America are greater than 2 to 1, and more than half of all violent crimes go unreported. In the context of Hurricane Katrina, however, even more people are suffering from violence and are even less likely to report crimes due to the lack of any streamlined reporting system.

According to senior officials at the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime, victims can file a "courtesy report" at their present location that "could be filed and transmitted to the appropriate jurisdiction for appropriate follow up. In all probability the victim would need to file an additional report in the appropriate jurisdiction at a later date." It remains unclear as to how victims can receive counseling and compensation for loss and injury related to the crime, although many service providers have stepped up their services in an attempt to meet the need. Hundreds of victims have turned to Witness Justice (which has created a special Healing Fund for trauma and crime victims in the areas affected by Katrina) to find out where they should report crimes and how they can access victim services.

"The number of crime victims contacting us has been staggering, and victims are just at a loss as to where they should go to report," says Helga West, President & CEO of Witness Justice. "It's hard enough for people to understand why so little was done to secure their safety and prevent the horrible crimes that are continuing to take place, but the lack of attention to their needs in the aftermath of violence adds insult to injury. We are very concerned about the long-term impact that this traumatization — and re-traumatization — will have on survivors and their families."

Witness Justice is a national, grassroots nonprofit organization created by survivors for survivors. Our mission is to empower victims of violence with the tools, information and support to work through the trauma healing and criminal justice processes. Witness Justice provides direct services for victims throughout the country, offering support regardless of where a victim lives, when or where the crime occurred or whether the crime was ever reported. For more information, please visit us at www.WitnessJustice.org.