Washington State Victim Assistance Academy

A live webcast presented by Jennifer A. Brobst, J.D., LL.M., Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University School of Law.

Each April since 1981, the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has designated a “National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.”  The purpose of NCVRW is to increase awareness of victims’ rights, honor crime victims, and aid those who advocate on their behalf. 

In 2011 the Alaska Office of Victims’ Rights reached out to NCVLI for assistance in a sexual assault case where the victim’s privacy was in jeopardy.  The trial court had granted the defendant’s pretrial discovery motion ordering the victim to disclose sensitive, confidential, and privileged health care information, including possible mental health and substance abuse treatment records.

Defendant pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault of his wife, which resulted in a fracture of the victim's orbital wall of her right eye socket.  As part of his sentence, the trial court ordered defendant to pay over $44,000 in restitution, including over $19,000 in restitution for medical expenses arising from the victim's post-assault suicide attempt.  Defendant appealed the restitution order to the extent that it required him to pay restitution for the victim's suicide-attempt related expenses.  First, defendant argued that his wife cannot be considered a "victim" of his offense for re