Recognition comes as part of National Crime Victim’s Rights Week
Susie’s Place received an unexpected honor on April 22 as part of National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. The staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana awarded its Victim Assistance Award to Susie’s Place for the work done across all three Centers.
“We mostly work with the Victim Advocates at the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” says Susie’s Place Executive Director Emily Perry, “Since they are the ones coordinating the special agents involved in federal cases.” While the majority of cases Susie’s Place works with involve state-level crimes and felonies, several dozen cases a year involve federal prosecution due to the nature or breadth of the crimes.
“They came together as an office and selected Susie’s Place,” says Perry. “It really came out of the blue. We got a notification via email that we were receiving it.”
US Attorney, Thomas Wheeler II, cited Susie’s Place’s “profound impact” in strengthening prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against children, and the team’s kindness and understanding in ensuring victim’s voices are heard in safe, trauma-informed spaces.
At the ceremony, much of the staff from all three locations received individual attention. “It was nice, well done, and thoughtful. The staff just sometime forget that people outside these walls are paying attention to the work they’re doing,” says Perry.
