Mission
Victim service professionals are crucial in helping survivors and victims of crime navigate the justice system. Service providers are usually the first people a victim may come in contact with, when reaching out for help after experiencing trauma and crime. Service providers are the key to ensuring that victims get the help, support and justice they deserve. NCVC’s Center for Victim Service Professionals’ (CVSP) mission is to identify the needs and gaps of professionals in the field, through technical assistance, resources, training and support. Most importantly, our role is to serve as a national presence and voice for all who work with victims in the justice system, including victim advocates, law enforcement, attorneys, judges and other social service providers.
The Center for Victim Service Professionals provides an array of tailored services to victim service providers. Our signature projects are:
Programs
In partnership with FINRA
In partnership with 4 Southern California Branches of the NAACP
Services
The goals of the Center for Victim Service Professionals are rooted in four principles: Access, Capacity Building, Support, and Advocacy
Access: Ensuring that victim service professionals have access to the latest information in the field to inform their work is a top priority. We work to ensure that materials, resources and supports are trauma-informed and reach providers of all backgrounds and needs.
Capacity Building: Through training and technical assistance, we work to increase the capacity of service providers to serve victims. We work to help organizations and communities create victim-centered and trauma-informed policies, practices and approaches that will enhance service provision.
Support: Service providers not only need support for the work they do, but support for themselves as they work in the system. We work to create spaces of healing and collective support for victim service providers.
Advocacy: We represent the voices of victims and the professionals that serve them. We advocate and use our voice and privilege for those whose voices aren’t being heard. Working with the Center for Research, Innovation, we will advocate as we can for victims and the programs that support them.
Supporting Your Work
Training: Our center offers comprehensive training on many topic areas including: Trauma Informed Service Provision, Providing culturally Relevant/Sensitive services, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, Working with Communities of Color and more.
Technical Assistance: The center specializes in technical assistance in many areas. We tailor the technical assistance to meet your agency’s specific needs, and will provide detailed feedback.
Resources: The resources we create reflect the changing crime victim’s landscape. We update our materials regularly, and work towards creating inclusive and accessible resources for the field.
Membership: Your membership will provide you with access to our variety of education opportunities, resources, and support as well as our distinguished group of subject matter experts.
Rachel Gibson
Formerly a Senior Technology Safety Specialist on the Safety Net Team at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Rachel worked to increase the safety and privacy of survivors and victims of crime. She developed training and technical assistance and provided expert thought leadership to build the capacity of victim service providers, private industries, lawmakers, and communities at large to provide advocacy and support to survivors in this digital society.
Rachel holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida.
Richard Washington
Richard Washington has been with the National Center for Victims of Crime for over four years, and currently serves as a Program Manager. Mr. Washington currently manages our Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative as well as The Building Bridges Project. In previous positions with the National Center for Victims of Crime, Richard has managed both the Supporting Victims with Disabilities Project as well as the National Resource Center for Reaching Victims Initiative.
Richard holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Law and Legal Studies from The University of Miami, and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Criminal Justice and African American Studies from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.