For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2022
Contact: Jerri Mares – (505) 321-4372
ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas kicks off the 2022 National Victims’ Rights Week, commemorating victims of crime by dedicating a conference room within his Albuquerque office to survivors of crimes. The conference room was established and decorated to be a safe, secure, and family-friendly place for survivors and victims to use when visiting the Office of the Attorney General. The room is filled with children’s furniture, toys, books, and art supplies and is intended to provide a comfortable, cozy, and warm environment for children and families.
“I am in awe of the strength of these individuals in the face of such trauma and difficulty, including dealing with the complexities and uncertainty of the judicial system,” said Attorney General Balderas. “They should be honored this day and every day because without their strength, we could not do our work of bringing their violent offenders to justice.”
As part of the ceremony, the Attorney General and the survivors placed their handprints on a tree mural decorating the room. The tree represents the strength, resilience, and endurance of all survivors of crime. By placing their handprints on the wall, these individuals make their mark on the tree to represent their individual journeys as survivors of crime. The handprints signify how these individuals have coped with unimaginable loss and heartache yet persevered in hope.
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