Hi Survivor,

Welcome to July, CSSJ Family!

As we step into July, we are filled with gratitude and renewed energy. This month marks a powerful moment in our year—a time to reflect on how far we’ve come and recommit to the healing, hope, and justice we’re building together.

Whether you’ve just joined our community or have been with us for years, know this: your voice matters, your story is powerful, and your presence helps shape a future where all survivors are seen, heard, and supported.

Let this month be one of connection, courage, and collective strength. Together, we are transforming pain into purpose and building safer communities for everyone.

In solidarity, 

Jonathon Lewis 

Managing Director 

Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice

Join Crime Survivors Speak: Healing and Safety Conference, where voices of survivors, advocates, service providers, system officials, and community leaders to transform public safety and justice systems.

Through a series of panel discussions, informative workshops, trainings,  team-building activities, and collaborative group sessions, attendees will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to lead grassroots movements, advocate for legislative reforms, and strengthen survivor-led efforts within their communities.

REGISTER HERE!

At Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), we believe every survivor deserves access to healing and support. That’s why we launched the Access to Victims Compensation Campaign—to ensure survivors across the country are aware of, and can access, the compensation resources they need to rebuild their lives.

We’re proud to share that this campaign has reached an exciting milestone!

• Over 90 partner organizations have joined forces with us to educate communities about victims compensation—helping break down barriers and spread awareness.
• More than 1,400 crime survivors have shared their voices through our national survey, offering crucial insight into their experiences with the compensation process in their states.

This powerful feedback is shaping our advocacy, informing policy recommendations, and elevating survivor voices in the fight for a fairer, more responsive system.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible CSSJ staff and all of our partners for the energy, commitment, and compassion they’ve brought to this effort. Together, we are making a difference.

Stay tuned—there’s more to come as we continue working to ensure all survivors can access the healing they deserve.

On June 3rd, CSSJ hosted our Pennsylvania Advocacy Day at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, bringing together nearly twenty dedicated members from across Pennsylvania.
 
Throughout the day, our members met with 21 legislators and their staff to share their stories and advocate for survivor-centered policy priorities, including:

• HB 72: Safe Housing for Survivors
• HB 964: Safe Leave for Survivors
• HB 1042: Earned Credit Reform
• $5 Million Annual TRC Funding Request 

This funding would fully support the Harrisburg Trauma Recovery Center and expand services by opening three new TRCs—collectively reaching an estimated 3,000 victims of violent crime across Pennsylvania each year.
 
Our members showed up with courage and conviction, making sure lawmakers understand that survivors are leading the way toward healing, safety, and justice.

You can view the media coverage here:

• Advocates head to Harrisburg to fight for victims of violent crime
• Victims of violence share stories, fight for resources at Pa. state capitol
• Crime survivors advocate for safety and justice at state capitol 

At Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), we believe every survivor deserves access to healing and support. That’s why we launched the Access to Victims Compensation Campaign—to ensure survivors across the country are aware of, and can access, the compensation resources they need to rebuild their lives.

We’re proud to share that this campaign has reached an exciting milestone!

• Over 90 partner organizations have joined forces with us to educate communities about victims compensation—helping break down barriers and spread awareness.
• More than 1,400 crime survivors have shared their voices through our national survey, offering crucial insight into their experiences with the compensation process in their states.

This powerful feedback is shaping our advocacy, informing policy recommendations, and elevating survivor voices in the fight for a fairer, more responsive system.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible CSSJ staff and all of our partners for the energy, commitment, and compassion they’ve brought to this effort. Together, we are making a difference.

Stay tuned—there’s more to come as we continue working to ensure all survivors can access the healing they deserve.

As part of our Access to Victim Compensation campaign, we created this video storytelling project to hear directly from survivors about their experiences with victim compensation. Our members sharing their stories are vital to this campaign, which is why we want to hear from you. 

Every shared story helps raise awareness of the challenges of accessing victim compensation, inspires policy change, and expands community support for survivors.

Click here to submit your story now: https://safeandjustvoices.gv-one.com/requests.html?gId=4791&rId=18070

Make sure to join us on the THIRD THURSDAY of each month for our Virtual Healing Space, a peer-led zoom call for survivors to heal together in community. We have a new topic to spark discussion each month. If you’ve never been, we’d love to have you!

REGISTER HERE!

In the latest episode of Crime Survivors Speak, we’re honored to bring you the voice of Elle Travis, a courageous survivor and powerful advocate from Detroit, Michigan.

Elle shares her deeply personal story of surviving sexual violence and facing a justice system that failed to respond with urgency, dignity, or care. From the infamous Detroit rape kit backlog to the broader cultural bias that so often erases the victimization of Black women, Elle speaks with clarity and conviction about the changes we need to see. She also shares how these experiences led her to found Hands on Healing Detroit, a community-rooted organization supporting survivors on their path to recovery.

This is a powerful conversation about bias, accountability, and the need for community-centered healing. Elle reminds us that healing is not just personal—it’s political, and it’s possible when survivors lead the way. 

Listen to the episode now and share it with someone you know.

If you're interested in being a guest, please complete this PODCAST GUEST QUESTIONNAIRE. Submission doesn’t guarantee you will be selected to be a guest on the podcast.