Crime Survivors and VA Prosecutors Come Together to Discuss Future of Public Safety and Victim Services
As Virginia faces reductions to victim service funding, survivors shared directly with prosecutors how the system can better support healing, safety, and accountability for victims of crime
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — At a time when Virginia victim service providers are facing significant funding cuts – and many survivors say they feel shut out of policy debates about their own lives – three elected Commonwealth’s Attorneys sat down today with victims of crime for a rare listening session focused solely on hearing what survivors need and want from the justice system. Commonwealth’s Attorneys Steve Descano (Fairfax), Parisa Dehghani-Tafti (Arlington & Falls Church), and Ramin Fatehi (Norfolk) listened as survivors described their experiences and offered recommendations for improving how prosecutors communicate, support, and engage with victims throughout the legal process.
Hosted by the Prosecutors Alliance and the National Organization for Victim Advocacy, the session was convened as Virginia continues to grapple with real and growing gaps in victim support – including significant cuts to federal grants for victim service providers that have forced programs to scale back counseling, advocacy, and crisis response. Today’s conversation centered survivors as partners in developing responses that ensure all victims are provided the support they need for accountability and healing.
“It’s extremely rare that survivors of crime have the chance to speak with any prosecutors, let alone elected prosecutors, outside of the confines of their cases,” said Robyn Sordelett, Survivor Center Director at the Prosecutors Alliance, who facilitated the listening session. “Today was a beautiful example of what happens when we break down walls, bring diverse voices together, and center those most impacted by crime in building safer communities.”
“Survivors want to be included in shaping what safety looks like – not have it defined for us,” said Tara Taylor, a survivor from Yorktown, Va., who participated in the listening session. “We didn’t all have the same experiences, but we all shared the same need: to be heard. Being listened to directly by prosecutors – the people whose decisions so profoundly impact the experiences and healing of crime victims – was extremely powerful.”
The Commonwealth’s Attorneys said the session will inform their offices’ work going forward.
“The old-fashioned justice system ignores of minimizes the longing victims feel for validation, comfort, and agency,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Fatehi. “Victims are not pawns. They are human beings. And those of us who believe in criminal justice reform treat them like the human beings they are.”
“As prosecutors, we are proud that our mission is ‘to do the right thing,’ but we have too often viewed victims as a monolith,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Dehghani-Tafti. “Only through actively listening to victims and survivors can we center their voices, build trust, foster transparency, and demonstrate a commitment to restorative practices. This approach not only strengthens community confidence but also leads to more balanced outcomes that respect both accountability and healing in a system that has for too long used only the tool of punishment.”
“The people I heard from today revisited some of the most difficult moments of their lives in order to help prosecutors better serve future survivors of crime. That’s courage,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Descano. “Their strength, amidst these devastating cuts to support services, is a testament to how important it is that victims feel seen, heard, and respected when in our courthouse.”
The meeting was co-hosted by the National Organization for Victim Advocacy and hosted at the group’s headquarters.
“This groundbreaking listening session is a critical first step in promoting survivor-led justice, centering the voices of those with lived experiences and ensuring that justice is defined by survivors,” said NOVA Executive Director Claire Ponder Selib. “NOVA is proud to partner with the Prosecutors Alliance to lead this crucial conversation and movement toward survivor-led justice.”
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The Prosecutors Alliance equips prosecutors to protect the vulnerable, prioritize healing, and exercise power with integrity and care.
The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) has been a recognized leader in the victims’ rights movement, with a mission to champion dignity and compassion for all victims of crime and crisis.