How have victim services helped you or those around you?
The Washington State Women's Commission Safety Committee is collecting stories from individuals who understand firsthand the difference victim services make in a survivor's safety, stability, and healing. These stories will be shared in a public report to illustrate the real impact of victim services and the human cost when they’re underfunded.
The purpose of this training is designed to prepare crime victims, survivors, family members, and victim advocates to safely, confidently, and effectively participate in Washington State’s legislative process. The goal is to ensure that survivor voices are not only heard—but respected, protected, and empowered—through public testimony, written comments, meetings with lawmakers, and media engagement. This training is trauma‑informed, survivor‑centered, and advocacy‑driven and takes place one day before the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session begins on January 12, 2026. We have seen the dire need for crime victim and survivor voices and meaningful representation in Olympia, as there has historically been little consistent presence advocating from a true survivor-centered perspective. This training is designed to help change that. Participants will learn how to thoughtfully share their experiences, translate lived experience into policy impact, and engage without retraumatization.