We're Here To Help!

Our mission is to engage and empower victims and citizens in the effort to reduce violent crime.

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Why We’re Here

 Tennessee Voices For Victims (TVFV) was founded in December 2012 by long time victim advocates Valerie Craig and Verna Wyatt.  Craig and Wyatt worked together as a team in a previous victim service agency for 10 years before founding TVFV.  Craig and Wyatt have personally served on numerous Task Force/Commissions by request of the last three Governors of Tennessee (and two during TVFV service) to share the perspective of the victim of crime.  TVFV works to assist victims in connecting to appropriate victim services in their geographic area, that can walk them through their healing journey.  They problem-solve with victims who have issues with the justice system.  They help victims give their pain purpose from speaking out to educate the community about crime from a victim’s perspective, to helping them use their voice to make a difference in crime and justice legislation.  TVFV speaks out publicly about injustice connected to crime and justice.  TVFV has been the leader in victim impact for incarcerated men and women in prisons and jails in Tennessee.

TVFV has presented thousands of educational presentations to community groups, schools, and businesses professionals on topics such as domestic violence, child sexual abuse, child abuse, sexting, cyberbullying –  because knowledge is power.  The right information may prevent you from becoming a victim of crime, and certainly the right information can help you put your life together if you become a victim of crime.  TVFV has co-hosted numerous statewide programs with other National and state agencies.

  • Co-host and on Planning Committee for the Governor Haslam’s 2014 Safety Summit.
  • Was the only crime victim advocacy group to support “say Yes on 2” Amendment alongside both Governor Haslam and former Governor Bredesen, and numerous Statewide businesses and law firms.  
  • Collaborated with the Knoxville Police Department to recruit homicide victims from every judicial district in our state to participate in a State-wide project to address concerns of homicide victims in Tennessee with a goal of learning how to better serve homicide victims in Tennessee.  A two-day Homicide Roundtable was conducted in Nashville with these victims in April 2015, and a report was assimilated by the Knoxville Chief of Police with the information obtained in the roundtable.  This report will be used to train law enforcement and justice professionals. 
  • Co-hosted with the Victim Intervention Program of the Metro Police Department, for the NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) one day symposium in Nashville on cyber-crime, stalking, human trafficking, identity theft, held September 14, 2016.
  • Organized a state-wide Sexual Assault Roundtable event with the Knoxville Police Department, conducted with sexual assault victims from each judicial district.  Held in April 2017 in Nashville.
  • Organized three victim/advocate forums in West, East, and Middle Tennessee for Governor Lee’s Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform in 2019.
  • Organized and facilitated 6 statewide roundtable discussions with law enforcement, Victims, and justice professionals for the Office of Criminal Justice Programs in 2020.

Victim Services & Support

Assisted victims of the Nashville Christmas Bombing, and co-Chaired the Nashville Long Term Recovery Committee working to assist victims in the months following the bombing. 

2021-2022

Collaborated with the District Attorney’s General Conference to create a video resource for crime victims in Tennessee that is housed on the TVFV website.  The video is entitled I’m a victim.  Now What?  And, has numerous chapters depending on where the victim is in the justice process.   Also worked with the District Attorneys in Tennessee to create counselor led homicide loss support groups for people who have suffered the murder of a loved one.  Goal is to have a homicide loss support group in every judicial district.  

2020 began work on creating a state-wide protocol for every judicial district to create a mass violence victim response plan.  With the assistance of a state-wide council of professionals from law enforcement to Governor Lee’s office, a protocol was created for the State.  2022 began the work to assist judicial districts in following the protocol to form and implement their community’s victim response plan.

Victim Offender Dialogue

As specially trained facilitators, and approved by Tennessee Department of Corrections for conducting Victim/Offender Dialogue in Tennessee prisons, we Co-Facilitated a victim/offender dialogue, preparing both the victim and his offender to meet face to face inside the prison where the offender was incarcerated.  Months of meeting individually with the victim and offender, prepared both parties for the face-to-face meeting that was conducted in April 2015 with a benefit to the victim AND also to the offender.  The victim later said it was the best thing he had ever done, that he felt like a huge weight had been taken off him.  The offender said he felt a weight taken from him as well, and made him want to continue his work for personal redemption.

Restorative Justice

In partnership with Nashville’s Juvenile Court Judge, District Attorney General, Public Defender, and Police Chief, we join Raphah Institute in offering victims of crime an alternative option to the traditional justice process.  In a victim-centered approach to resolving court cases, we join a national restorative justice movement to address the needs of victims, and lowering rates of youth violence, arrests and repeat offenses.

Legislative /Policy Advocacy

Tennessee Voices for Victims encourages people to use their voice on issues that matter to them.  The District Attorneys General Conference and other victim-centered agencies often call on our agency to inform our contacts about pending /legislation they feel is important for our communities.  We convey information to the general public about proposed legislation to apprise them of potential laws that may impact their lives.  The information we send out includes the contact information for the specific legislators working on the bill, to make it easier for anyone who may want to weigh in on the issue.  This activity holds no more than 1% of agency time, and we simply pass on the information in detail so people can be informed, and make their own decision about the proposed legislation.  Knowledge is power.

Worked with a victim of crime to give relief to victims of horrific crimes that face the parole Board.  The bill was passed giving the Parole Board authority to consider making the “next” hearing date 10 years out. (Previously, 6 years was the max.)

Worked in conjunction with the Tennessee District Attorney’s General Conference to alert victims and the general public about proposed legislation that would impact families of homicide victims in Tennessee. Legislation was passed in 2015! For more detail of those activities, visit our website.  And again, with Tennessee’s District Attorneys to pass laws that would support victims of Elder Abuse. 

Commissions, Task Forces, Boards & Committees

  • Served on Nashville’s Domestic Violence Coalition.
  • Served on Governor Haslam’s Tennessee’s Commission for Judicial Appointments 6 years.
  • Serves on the Tennessee Children’s Justice Task Force (past chair current member of the Education Committee) https://www.sworps.tennessee.edu/children/jtf/jtf.html 
  • Served on the City of Nashville’s Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Committee.
  • Served on the City of Nashville’s Domestic Violence Training Committee.
  • Chairs Davidson County’s Crime Victims’ Rights Week Event. The committee consists of advocacy agencies who work with victims of crime in Davidson County.
  • Served on Nashville’s Domestic Violence Coalition.
  • Serves on the Committee to plan/present the State Season to Remember
  • Serves on the Committee to plan/present Davidson County Season to Remember.
  • Serves on the Committee for the State Season to Remember, which is a special remembrance ceremony for homicide victims across the state during the holiday season.
  • Serves on the Committee for Davidson County Season to Remember that holds a special ceremony for victims of homicide in Davidson County.
  • Served on a sub-committee of Governor Lee’s Criminal Justice Reform Task Force
  • Publishes numerous articles regarding crime and justice in papers across Tennessee.
  • Often interviewed by local television stations and newspapers regarding crime and justice stories in Nashville.
  • Formed a statewide mass violence council to strengthen the Mass Violence Response to victims.  Council members were professionals from the Governor’s office, the Attorney General’s Office, law enforcement, District Attorneys, Hospital personnel, Emergency Management professionals and others.  Working on a mass violence response protocol that judicial districts can use in planning their response to Mass Violence.  2019-2020.

 

Victim Impact Facilitation with Incarcerated Men & Women

If we are serious about preventing crime, we must turn our attention to those who are incarcerated, who we know are likely to create more victims when they are released from prison without intervention.  Verna and Valerie were the first victim advocates in Tennessee to go into prisons and jails in Tennessee to teach victim impact classes.  They have been teaching incarcerated men and women every week for 15 years.  They have been a regular part of Men of Valor ministries, who has seen the best recidivism rate in the State for men who complete their program.  As it is now, 98% of the incarcerated population WILL return to our community.  It is critical that we help these individuals heal the issues that control their lives, and help them to become a positive member of society.  No More Victims is our focus.

 

Special Recognitions

    • 2021 Community Service Award 2021 from the Metro Nashville Police Department
    • 2015 Champion of Victim Rights Award from Union University presented to Verna Wyatt and Valerie Craig
    • 2014 Board of Probation Victim Service Award to Verna Wyatt
    • 2014 Edwina Hefner Community Leadership Award from the Nashville Symphony to Verna Wyatt
    • 2012 Correction Corporation of America Volunteer of the year to Valerie Craig and Verna Wyatt
    • 2010 Statewide Victim Advocate to Valerie Craig from the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole
    • 2005 President’s Award to Verna Wyatt from the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police
    • 2002 The Tennessean’s Top 40 under 40 to Valerie Craig
    • 2001 Senior Citizens, Inc.’s Staff Salute to Valerie Craig
    • 1997 Nashville Volunteer of the Week to Valerie Craig