Annual Report 2016

08

Providing Victim Services

Forgiveness has nothing to do with absolving a criminal of his crime. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the burden of being a victim—letting go of the pain and transforming oneself from victim to survivor.

Victims Served This year, MADD and its team of dedicated volunteers, passionately served a victim or survivor of drunk driving, drugged driving or underage drinking every 14 minutes and provided a supportive service every three minutes. The many services we provide, which increased by nearly 10 percent in 2016, are available free of charge to all who need them. We provide grief- stricken victims the healing balm they seek through emotional support. We also provide criminal and civil justice advocacy, as well as helpful information about the criminal justice system. Other MADD victim-related materials and referrals to community resources that help them cope with the after effects of drunk and drugged driving are also available, free of charge. 24-Hour Victim Help Line In 2016, MADD’s 24-Hour Victim Help Line, 1-877-MADD-HELP, provided an emotional lifeline to more than 3,100 people who didn’t know where else to turn. We were also delighted to add five additional volunteers who generously donate their time to answer calls on nights and weekends, even on holidays, so that the Help Line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year – when victims and survivors need us most. Our patient and compassionate volunteers listen to their stories, offer a shoulder to lean on and provide the information they need about the criminal justice process, and much more. This year, MADD documented a 13 percent increase in the number of calls that came through the Victim Help Line and our staff and volunteers provided more than 5,100 individual supportive services to those in need. Private Facebook Group The MADD Victim Services private Facebook Group grew significantly in 2016 to 2,500 members, offering an avenue for many new victims to reach out to MADD for the first time. The MADD Facebook Group was created to give victims and survivors a supportive and safe online forum to connect, share and seek support, and to provide peer-support to others in need. Members often introduce themselves, share a photo of a loved one or of themselves and discuss how their crash has impacted their lives. We are pleased to report that participation among members has exceeded all expectations and in 2016 alone, we provided nearly 1,000 services to members of this group. MADD’s ultimate goal is to reach and serve every person impacted by drunk driving, drugged driving or underage drinking consequences. If you or someone you know needs help, call MADD’s 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP or live chat at madd.org . ®

-C.R. Strahan

Providing Victim Services

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