Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Dwight Williams (212) 788-2972
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today delivered the keynote address at the 13th Annual Crime Victims Candlelight Vigil and Rally at the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew in Manhattan. The Candlelight Vigil, sponsored by the National Victim Center, is the national kickoff event for the week-long observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week -- April 19 to April 25, 1998.
"This is a very solemn and important day, and ultimately a day of hope," Mayor Giuliani said. "We are gathered here to affirm and advance the rights of victims around the City and the nation. I'm proud to stand with all of you. You confront pain every day and show remarkable courage in doing so. I cannot tell you how much I respect your strength. It is the purest example of vitality of the human spirit. It has earned the admiration of the people of this City. But in addition to displaying personal strength, you have worked through your tragedy to build bridges, encourage understanding and advance justice.
"Thanks to your efforts to teach society about victims' rights, to provide victims with a critical network of support, and to advocate for necessary changes in the law, we have come a long way over the past ten years," the Mayor continued. "We have made major strides in offering networks of support to crime victims and raising awareness of crimes that used to be ignored, such as domestic violence. And through the Department of Correction we have instituted the Victim Notification Everyday System that notifies crime victims when offenders are released from jail so that they can take the proper precautions.
"There is still much to be done to prevent crime and protect the rights of crime victims. New Yorkers are asked to support measures that would create uniform national gun control laws, force convicted violent felons to serve their entire sentences, reduce levels of juvenile crime and empower victims and their families. I thank you all for forming a dynamic, compassionate, aggressive coalition - a network of advocacy and care that reaches more people across the country every day," the Mayor concluded.
The Mayor concluded his remarks by proclaiming April 19 to April 25, 1998, "Crime Victim Rights Week" in New York City.
The National Victim Center focuses attention on the innocent victims of violence. Since its creation in 1985 by G. Morris Gurley, the Center has shown victims that not only are there people who care about them, but also that they must partake in the restoration of safety and the prevention of future victims. The National Victim Center has reached out to all facets of the community and has been joined by the New York City Police Department, the United States Attorney's Office, the New York City Council, Parents of Murdered Children, the New York City Department of Correction, the New York Board of Rabbis and the New York City Council of Churches.