Our Mission
Empowering individuals impacted by crime to move from crisis to resilience
Our History
One digital 46 minute video recording of an oral history interview with Ed Stout, then Executive Director of Aid for Victims of Crime in St. Louis, Missouri. The interview was conducted on August 19, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee. During the interview Stout talks about the accomplishments, challenges, and failures he encountered in the field as well as his vision for the future of the field. This interview is part of the Oral History of the Crime Victim Assistance Field Project, which was funded in 2002 by a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. It is one of many projects developed by Justice Solutions, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing rights, resources, and respect for victims and communities hurt by crime. Points of view in this product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Crime Victim Center (CVC) of St. Louis was established in 1972 as Aid for Victims of Crime. CVC was the first victim services agency in the nation to work with victims of all types of crime, regardless of their involvement with the criminal prosecution process. In 1982, CVC helped organize and provide testimony to President Reagan's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which led to the creation of the federal Office for Victims of Crime and the passage of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which now funds thousands of victim service programs across the country. During a planned merger in 2012, Legal Advocates for Abused Women (LAAW) became a part of the Crime Victim Center.
CVC’s mission is to empower individuals impacted by crime to move from crisis to resilience, and our primary focus is to reduce the negative effects of crime for individuals, families, and communities in a trauma-informed and holistic approach. The Crime Victim Center serves over 7,000 people yearly within the St. Louis Metropolitan Region. The 2012 merger brought domestic/sexual violence-specific programs that work within the court and police systems of St. Louis City and County.
Agency clientele is 95% at or below the poverty level, and 80% identify as female. The Crime Victim Center's services include advocacy, counseling, legal assistance, and community outreach. CVC serves all victims without discrimination, and all services are free of charge. CVC has a strong training partnership with social service agencies, law enforcement agencies, and corporations to help them improve their response to victims of crime in their organizations or communities.
Our Core Values
Dignity
Everyone has a right to live a life free from violence. Victims do not deserve what happened to them and should never be blamed.
Empowerment
There is no universal path to healing, rather it is personal for each victim. We can help victims on that journey by empowering them to choose and pursue their own path.
Partnerships
Collaboration is a vital part of the work that we do. Our agency partners with police and other community agencies in order to meet victims during their journey.
Advocacy
Public advocacy is an important component of the work we do. Legislative work, policy consultation, and education efforts can positively impact the lives of victims.
Prevention
By providing community education and training on the negative effects of crime and ways to prevent it, we can help victims get the support they need from the community and can help end violence before it starts