Standing with victims during No More Week and all year through
March 11, 2021
We believe you. We support you. We are with you.
These are words sexual assault and domestic violence victims and survivors long to hear – but too many of them don't. That's why the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs (DPS-OJP) is observing
NO MORE Week, which is March 7-13 this year. It's an opportunity to voice our year-round support for those who work to end gender-based violence.
One of the goals of NO MORE Week is to raise awareness of the work we and our
statewide coalition partners do all year long: educating and providing training for prosecutors, judges and the law enforcement community about how to create victim-/survivor-centered processes that keep everyone engaged and supported as they move forward. Victims need to know that what happened to them was not their fault.
Victims also need support while their case moves through the criminal justice process. Hundreds of trained community and system-savvy victim advocates throughout the state are doing just that. They're available to answer questions, provide case updates, clarify and help understand court proceedings, provide support through the process, and make referrals to community partners who can meet their needs. For a list of where you can find an advocate in your community, visit the
Minnesota Day One Crisis Line website.
Why is it so important to stand with and listen to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence? First, because this issue is so widespread and pervasive. In the U.S., 24 people experience rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner per minute. Second, because so many victims don't get the help they need – in fact, 65 percent of survivors who tell someone about their victimization say that no one helped them, according to
nomore.org. But it doesn't have to be that way: we can all pledge to learn more about the problem and its solutions, stand with survivors, and speak up against denigrating language and victim-blaming.
During NO MORE Week, we envision a world where there is no more domestic or sexual violence. Until that happens, we work to create an inclusive culture where every victim/survivor understands that what happened to them was neither their doing nor their fault, and where they can get culturally relevant support and programming.
We stand together with victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to say: NO MORE.
If you or someone you know is experiencing gender-based violence, call the Minnesota Day One Crisis Line at 866-223-1111 or text them at 612-399-9995.
