Crime Victims Council

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and today, September 10, marks World Suicide Prevention Day. There are many risk factors for suicide but studies show experiences of violence and trauma are associated with increased suicide risk. Suicide prevention begins long before someone is ever in crisis. Prevention is an ongoing practice, beginning when we help a person feel safe, heard, believed, and connected.

If you walk down the street on any given afternoon as you scan your surroundings, you may find that your brain automatically filters out the pavement beneath your feet. It focuses on crosswalks, storefronts, or your phone screen, deliberately ignoring the thin, jagged cracks in the sidewalk. Our minds are wired to ignore the background noise. But that cognitive filter is precisely why human trafficking persists. Today, on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, our team members from the...

For survivors of sexual violence, hope can look like knowing someone will answer the phone when they're ready to reach out. It can look like having access to counseling, advocacy, or a safe space to begin healing—whether that's days, months, or years after the trauma. That's why this moment matters.