LatinaLista — News of murders happen every day in every city. Yet, aside from the victim’s name, age and where the murder took place, it’s rare for the public to know if the murder victim had a family, especially children.
If the murder victim was a parent, the impact on the family can be devastating on several levels and could set a new destiny for the victim’s children, according to research, that will either steer the children on a course towards criminal activity or increase their own likelihood to be victims of serious crime themselves.
According to experts, one way to keep children of homicide victims from falling victims themselves is that they have support. One woman in Kansas City knew firsthand the impact of homicide violence on children and decided something needed to be done.
Monica Roberts created the volunteer-driven effort Healing Pathway Victim Service Agency.
The organization believed that children that have lost a parent or parents to homicide needed a multi-dimensional range of interventions, specifically in the areas of advocacy, education, prevention, leadership, caretaker supports, and ongoing resource referrals.
With increasing rates of violence, specifically homicidal activity, there are many children left with a huge void, and long term needs. Healing Pathway does not believe that this agency can stand alone in the state of urgency to heal our children.
The agency delivers a host of services to support the families. Ranging from “Survivor Birthday Club” programs to mentoring and leadership classes for youth to parental support to violence prevention/mediation, the agency provides a holistic approach in showing long-term support to the families.
