It’s Time to Rebalance the Scales: My 24-Year Plea for Real Support for Crime Survivors

By Patricia Wenskunas

Twenty-four years ago, I sat in a California courtroom—terrified and alone—as the victim of an attempted murder. Long after the bruises had faded, I was still hurting inside—and I had my son who needed me. The man who attacked me had rights. He had a lawyer. He had access to every procedural safeguard our justice system could offer. And I? I had a chair to sit in, a pack of tissues, and the crushing realization that the system designed to deliver justice had almost nothing for me.

That day changed everything. It propelled me to found Crime Survivors, Inc. in 2003, a nonprofit dedicated to walking alongside individuals and families shattered by violent crime. For the past 24 years, I have poured my life into this work—not because it’s easy, but because no one should ever have to navigate the aftermath of violence without real support, real compassion, and real hope.

We have made progress. Marsy’s Law, which I played an intricate role in during its early days as part of my case, was written into law and is part of the reason rights #6 and #13 exist. Marsy’s Law gives victims constitutional rights in California. We’ve built community programs that provide counseling, peer support, safety planning, case management, and advocacy when the system falls short. Much of what our organization provides is rooted in my own personal life trauma experiences. Thousands of survivors have moved from victimhood to survivorship through our Resource Center. I am deeply grateful for every volunteer, donor, and partner who has stood with us.

But after 24 years, one truth still frustrates me more than almost anything else: how our system continues to pamper and coddle the criminal while the victim receives little support—if any at all. From a funding and resource standpoint, the overwhelming majority goes to defendant services while ignoring the needs of victims. In 2026, the system for victims is actually worse, and that weighs heavily on me. I entered this work to make things better—and seeing it decline is heartbreaking. Every day, I hear something that makes me cringe.

Our justice system continues to pour billions of dollars into defending those accused or convicted of crimes—public defenders, legal aid, rehabilitation programs, reentry services, and endless procedural protections. These are important elements of a fair system. No one is arguing against due process. And yet, nonprofits are closing. Shelters, rape crisis centers, and victim assistance programs are laying off staff and struggling to keep up with demand because of funding cuts.

What I am arguing against is the near-total neglect of the people who never asked to be part of the system in the first place: the innocent victims.

While defendants receive court-appointed attorneys, mental health evaluations, substance abuse treatment, housing assistance upon release, and job training, victims often face:

• Months or years-long waits for meager compensation claims
• Out-of-pocket medical bills and therapy costs
• Lost wages with no safety net
• Housing insecurity when the offender is released nearby
• A justice process that treats them as witnesses rather than stakeholders
• Judgment, shame, guilt, and stigma

The message this imbalance sends is devastating: your pain matters less than the perpetrator’s rights.

I see it every single week at Crime Survivors. A mother whose daughter was murdered spends months fighting for basic information from the district attorney’s office while the defendant’s legal team files motion after motion at taxpayer expense. A sexual assault survivor can’t afford the counseling she desperately needs because victim services are underfunded and overwhelmed. Families lose their homes trying to pay for funerals and therapy while offender reentry grants flow freely.

When I read news stories about inmates receiving iPads for communication and entertainment while victims are forced to relive their trauma over and over again through the system, it’s infuriating. This is not justice. This is not healing. This is a system that has lost sight of its most vulnerable.

After 24 years, I am more determined than ever to change this. Crime Survivors continues to provide direct services and emotional support that government programs so often fail to deliver.

Personally, I am also leading a completely separate entity through the Crime Survivors PAC. We are working to elect leaders who will prioritize victims—not just in rhetoric, but in budgets, policy, and courtroom practice. Yet even with these efforts, the impact is still not where it should be. Victims are not treated equally. The scales are simply not balanced. 

To every survivor reading this: You are not alone. Your voice matters. Your pain is valid. And you deserve more than leftovers from a system that too often treats you as an afterthought.

To policymakers and funders: It is time to rebalance the scales. Victims’ rights cannot remain an unfunded mandate. We must invest in victim services with the same urgency and resources we devote to defendants. Healing cannot wait.

As I continue my 24th year of advocacy, I remain hopeful—because I witness the incredible resilience of survivors every single day. But hope without action is not enough. Together, we must demand a justice system that truly sees, supports, and restores those who have been harmed.

Thank you for walking this journey with me. If you or someone you love has been impacted by crime, please reach out. Crime Survivors is here for you—today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.

I made a promise on April 4, 2002—that with each and every breath, I would live for community above self. I believe I have kept that promise, and as long as God continues to call, I will answer. I am grateful… truly grateful. With Faith, there is Hope... 

Please consider making a donation to support this mission and help us continue this work:
www.crimesurvivors.org

With gratitude and unwavering resolve,
Patricia Wenskunas

Founder and CEO
Crime Survivors Resource Center
crimesurvivors.org

"With Faith, there is Hope..."“Guided by faith, strengthened by hope, and united by community, we bring healing to hearts, restore the soul, and build compassionate, lasting impact for those we serve.”