Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General Conway Hosts Victims' Assistance Conference

Attorney General Jack Conway and his Office of Victims Advocacy are proud to host the 2012 Victims' Assistance Conference April 25-27 at the Galt House Hotel, 140 North 4th St. Louisville, Ky. Attorney General Conway will make opening remarks at the conference beginning at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25. More than 200 victim service providers, advocates, social workers, prosecutors and law enforcement from across Kentucky are expected to attend the conference designed to alert advocates and others about pressing crime and violence issues.

"According to the annual crime report from Kentucky State Police, an aggravated assault occurred every hour and a half and someone was raped approximately every five hours in Kentucky in 2010," General Conway said. "I want Kentuckians to know that my investigators, prosecutors and victims' advocates work every day to make our communities safer and to ensure justice and healing for victims of crime."

Last year, General Conway's Office of Victims Advocacy received more than 8,700 requests for assistance or referral from victims, victims' advocates, or other advocacy personnel. The office assisted 1,475 victims or their families through the Appellate Notification Program in 2011, which helps victims through the appeals process.

This year's conference theme is "Extending the Vision, Reaching Every Victim." A special focus will be given to assisting Kentucky's victims with disabilities and other underserved populations.

Keynote speakers include noted domestic violence advocate, author and actress, Wambui Bahati. Bahati, who will speak on Thursday, wrote, produced and stars in the one-woman musicals "Balancing Act" and "I am Domestic Violence."

Kentucky Crime Victims' Rights Day

Attorney General Conway's Office of Victim Advocacy is also marking Kentucky's 21st Annual Victims' Rights Day on during the conference. Sharon D'Eusanio, a victim of a violent crime in 1980 that left her blind, will speak in honor of Victims' Rights Day on April 25. D'Eusanio is now Deputy Director for the Division of Victim Services and Criminal Justice Programs Office at the Florida Attorney General's Office.

The Office of Victims Advocacy also administers and monitors the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board, which funds child sexual abuse prevention programs and oversees the tax check-off and license plate projects for the Child Victims' Trust Fund.

Additional funding for the Victims' Assistance Conference was provided by the Mary Byron Project, the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board and a Children's Justice Act Grant, administer by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Community Based Services.