COVID-19 changes the way crime victims are remembered during National Crime Victims' Rights Week

People usually come together this week to celebrate National Crime Victims' Rights week, to help remember victims of crime throughout Fort Wayne, as well as provide information on what the victims' rights are.

Covid-19 is impacting many aspects of life right now, including families seeking justice for crimes.

This week is national crime victims rights w ek and groups can come together to honor loved ones due to social distancing.

Fox caleb saylor is outside the court house to explain what advocacy groups are doing during the stay at home order to still reach families.caleb..a candlelight vigil would have taken place right here on the courthouse square this evening to remember the victims of crimes throughout the city.

Now groups like the fort wayne poli assistance group and java have to get creative to support their members.?

The public may not be allowed in, but court cases are still happening inside the allen county courthouse.

That means victims and their families are still seeking support.that support sometimes happens face- to-face, but due to social dist not able to happ n for fort wayne police victim assistance program.

Hings that maybe we wou typically do in person with them, we are conducting over the phone.

We're still contacting our victims every morning to let them know what their rights are, what options they have.my davies, co- founder of java here in fort wayn what that national crime victim?rights week is all about.?you become a victim or your family becomes a victim, you don't know what your rights are or even if you have any right, so this week is to bring awareness to the rights that crime vihat could .

Mean letting families know theye allowed to sit in on court hearings and get updates about their cases.

Davis says victims and their families rely on coming together to seek all , but now it vide safe to ntil it gather again ur monthly meetings that people turn to to find out hope and encouragement they're not able to come face-to-face and if they don't have internet or computer they're not going to be able to meet with us.nd on the tuesday of crime victim?rights week, victim assistance holds a candlelight vigil to remember those impacted by crime, but this year they had to get creative., making a virtual vigil to honor crime victims the best they could during this time.?i think it would have been a really easy to say oh we can't have the candlelight vigil this year so we're just not going to do it but it was important to us we look forward to that event every year and we want clients to know that we are thinking of them.

Just because you're welcome one is gone they're not forgotten and it's really important that they know that if ye a crime victim, assistance may look a little different during this time, but advocacy groups are still working to help youreporting live in fort wayne, caleb saylor.

Fox 55 news if you or someone you know needs help during this time, you can reach out to the fort wayne police department's