System-based victim advocates identify resources and barriers to supporting crime victims
| Author | Lisa De La Rue,Lilyana Ortega,Gena Castro Rodriguez |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221088340 |
| Published date | 01 January 2023 |
| Date | 01 January 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221088340
International Review of Victimology
2023, Vol. 29(1) 16 –26
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/02697580221088340
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System-based victim advocates
identify resources and barriers
to supporting crime victims
Lisa De La Rue
University of San Francisco, USA
Lilyana Ortega
Colorado State University, USA
Gena Castro Rodriguez
University of San Francisco, USA
Abstract
Often left out of conversations around criminal justice reform are the victims of violent crimes.
One group of people who have the needs of crime victims at the forefront of their work are
victim advocates. The current study examines barriers and resources for victim advocates in
being able to do their work of supporting crime victims. Through interviews with nine system-
based victim advocates points of intervention are identified, which if improved would allow victim
advocates to better be able to support victims of crimes. Using principles of grounded theory
analysis, four themes emerged: building partnerships and community support, intersectionality,
resources and supports, and bureaucracy. In order to better support victim advocates in their
work, systems need to remove bureaucratic barriers. There is also a need for access to culturally
sensitive mental health services and supports.
Keywords
Victim advocates, victim workers, criminal justice, social justice, crime victim
Over the past decade, the annual rate of victims of violence and serious crime has consistently been
around 5 million in the United States (Morgan and Thompson, 2021). In 2020, there was a decline
in victimization, with a prevalence rate of 4,558,150 million people experiencing a violent
Corresponding author:
Lisa De La Rue, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco,
CA 94117-1080, USA.
Email: ldelarue@usfca.edu
1088340IRV0010.1177/02697580221088340International Review of Victimology X(X)De La Rue et al.
research-article2022
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