Survivor Interview: Patricia Wenskunas, Founder/CEO of Crime Survivors Inc.

Patricia Wenskunas is the Founder/CEO of Crime Survivors Inc. and has gained national renown for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the victims of violent crime. Crime Survivors is dedicated to the proposition that with community support, respectful advocacy and hopeful healing, one can survive a violent crime, and thrive in their personal lives. Ms. Wenskunas stresses the important distinction between being a victim and a survivor, and it is this mindset that forms the basis for the organization’s universally-praised work.

Ms. Wenskunas’ passion to assist those who have been victimized by criminal attacks and tragedy is driven by her own personal experiences at the hands of a vicious assailant in her own home on April 4, 2002, and the humiliation and injustice she experienced at the hands of the criminal justice system. In both instances, Ms. Wenskunas fought back and prevailed. It was through these tremendously negative experiences that she found her courage and her voice, and has used them both to help others to be transposed from victims to survivors ever since.

Ms. Wenskunas was one of the early proponents of California’s Victim’s Bill of Rights known as “Marsy’s Law,” a state constitutional amendment that was passed into law by California’s voters in 2008. Intended to help re-balance the scales of justice so that survivors and the families of murder victims would have rights too, “Marsy’s Law” is now part of the California State Constitution, as well as certain sections of the state’s Penal Code.

Ms. Wenskunas’ civic involvement extends well beyond the organization she founded. She is the Founder and former CEO of Orange County Crime Stoppers, an Advisory Board member at CalVCP, a Board member at Crime Victims United, and a past Board Member for The Children’s Advocacy Center and California Crime Stoppers.

Professionally, Patricia’s has found success as the owner of Creative Coordinating, a catering and event planning company. Her culinary artistry and event planning expertise has helped to make the firm one of Orange County’s leading catering and event planning companies. Ms. Wenskunas remains passionately involved with victim’s rights issues and is an acknowledged spokesperson who is frequently sought out to deliver awareness on a host of issues through presentations for church groups, high schools, forums, women’s groups, victims organizations & law enforcement agencies.

Patricia has paved the way for victims of violent crime to truly survive and thrive. Today she forges ahead fighting and championing for victims when they don’t have the strength to do it on their own. She has truly become a voice for the voiceless.

 

Resources:

A list of all Crisis Hotlines Available: https://www.apa.org/topics/crisis-hotlines and https://www.pleaselive.org/hotlines/

Patricia’s Website: https://patriciawenskunas.com/

Survivor Resources: https://crimesurvivors.org/survivor-resources/

Find Support: https://dev--crimesurvivors.netlify.app/guide/

Recommended Reading/Books: https://crimesurvivors.org/recommended-reading/

Programs: https://crimesurvivors.org/programs/

Find a Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Specialized Trauma Therapy (EMDR): https://www.emdr.com/

 

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