Bluebonnet Children’s Center is celebrating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 21-27, 2024.

Press release from the Bluebonnet Childrens Advocacy Center

Bluebonnet Children’s Center is celebrating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 21-27, 2024. In 2022, there were nearly 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.6 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.6 million, only about 42% were reported to police.

This year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.” The theme aims to ensure that everyone in a community knows where and how crime victims and survivors can find help — including friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, service providers, or other trusted members of the community. We must all be prepared to offer support.

Bluebonnet Children’s Center is currently recognizing “Go Blue Month,” which advocates Child Abuse Prevention during April.  They are proud to join the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and communities throughout the United States during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and their advocates.

A non-profit 501(C)3 organization, Bluebonnet Children’s Center is in Hondo and Uvalde and successfully works on behalf of child victims of abuse (ages birth to 18) through two advocacy programs: The Bluebonnet Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) and Tri-County CASA.

Bluebonnet CAC is dedicated to alleviating the trauma placed on children when faced with abuse. Services are provided to children, their families, and the investigative agencies who are involved in an investigation of child abuse.  One of 70 CAC’s for the 254 counties across the state, Bluebonnet CAC is dedicated to alleviating the added trauma of a child abuse investigation on children who have already suffered at the hands of their abuser. Bluebonnet CAC also provides free therapy for Robb schoolchildren and victim’s families from the Robb Elementary School Campus tragedy on May 24, 2022.

Tri-County CASA, on the other hand, recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers from the community to speak on behalf of abused and neglected children in foster care.  CASA volunteers advocate in the court system to insure safe, timely and permanent placement of the children in foster care.  Tri-County CASA volunteers are assigned as a “Friend of the Court” for the child by the Presiding Judge.

Both programs, distinct as they are, strive to provide a voice for abused and neglected children from Medina, Uvalde, or Real County who are referred to the organization.  Courtesy cases are also handled for Dimmit, Edwards, Kinney, Maverick, Val Verde, and Zavala counties. Solid relationships with local social service agencies, extensive volunteer support, a keen awareness of children’s needs and responsible management have made it possible for Bluebonnet Children’s Center to exist.

During Go Blue Month and National Crime Victim’s Week, remember that the small victims of our community need big friends.  Are you willing to help make a difference?

For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please contact Bluebonnet Children’s Center at 830-426-5554 or visit www.bcactx.org. To learn more about how to support all victims of crime, visit the Office for Victims of Crime’s website at ovc.ojp.gov.