A new crime victim advocate focusing on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who are the victims of crime was to navigate the criminal justice system inPhiladelphia.
Center City Crime Victim Services posted a job fora victim advocate that will focus on the entire city.
The new position came about a week after a gay clerk at a Center City adult bookstore who was shot in the back claimed he was the victim of a hate crime, but advocates for the LGBT community said it’s a position they’ve long looked to create. Victim advocates typically attend hearings with victims, keep victims informed of their rights and provide outreach to crime victims.
Helen Fitzpatrick, the mayor’s director of LGBT Affairs, said that underreporting of crime is a significant issue among members of the LGBT community, whose members often worry that they will not be given respect by law enforcement. “We’re hoping this facilitates the reporting of crime,” Fitzpatrick said.
New advocate to serve LGBT crime victims in Philly
