Honoring National Survivors of Homicide Awareness Month

During this week’s City Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution recognizing November 20 through December 20, 2023, as National Survivors of Homicide Awareness Month.

The United States faces a national public health crisis of gun violence. On average, more than 13,000 homicides each year continue to rob families and communities of loved ones.

For every one homicide victim, there are at least ten surviving family members, resulting in an average of over 130,000 new survivors of homicide victims each year.

Homicide victims are loved and grieved by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, partners, grandparents, aunts, uncles, extended family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and communities across the country.

Homicide is the leading cause of death among Black Americans ages 12 through 19 and the second leading cause of death for teenagers nationwide as almost 1 in 4 Black American and Latino adults report having lost a loved one to gun-related homicide. More than half of women who are victims of homicides are killed because of intimate partner violence.

Surviving family members need holistic, coordinated, compassionate, and consistent support and services in the immediate aftermath of a homicide, and ongoing opportunities for healing in the months and years afterward.

Survivors of homicide victims are using their tragedies to inform, influence, and impact public policy so that all children, regardless of where they live, can grow up in a safe, peaceful community.

The leadership by surviving family and community members is essential to disrupting cycles of violence and promoting peace in all communities. Recognition of the needs of survivors can help combat trauma, foster healing, and inform joy for families and communities impacted by homicide.

The Council expresses its support for the designation of a National Survivors of Homicide Awareness Month on the federal level in order to raise awareness and support survivors of homicide victims.