Dec 20, 2021
What happens when a nonprofit organization reimagines how to deliver justice for victims of violent crimes? Network for Victim Recovery of DC took on this challenge when it launched in 2012, powered by Bridgette Stumpf, an exceptional advocate armed with a small seed grant. NVRDC now has a staff of 40 lawyers and advocates who operationalize a shared vision. It starts with the belief that survivors should not be left to navigate a complex system on their own and that they should be treated with dignity on their journey to justice. What makes NVRDC’s approach particularly culture shifting is its commitment to survivor defined justice. Not all victims want the same remedy, such as the incarceration of their assailant, but the data reveals that they all want to be heard by the public agencies engaged with their cases. In fact, survivors are informing and leading trainings in trauma education for pro bono attorneys assigned to them. NVRDC is pushing the parameters of legal representation of survivors, being an ally at every touchpoint and advocating for policies that expand their rights.