BY BRANDY TEMPLETON

A small group gathered outside of the Iredell County Hall of Justice on Monday afternoon to mark the beginning National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

District Attorney Sarah Kirkman told the crowd that it’s important to support crime victims. She read a proclamation stating that “victims are more than a label.”

As the elected prosecutor for Iredell and Alexander counties, Kirkman said her mission is simple.

“I’m here to look out for them, guide them, make sure their voices are heard, and find justice,” she said.

The theme of this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Survivor Voices: Elevate, Engage, and Effect Change.”

Kirkman said that progress is being made and will continue to be made if awareness is at the forefront.

She thanked all those who play a key role in serving victims, including law enforcement, the Department of Social Services, The Dove House Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Guardian ad Litem program for Iredell and Alexander counties.

It is critical, she said, that the criminal justice system is an environment where voices are heard, believed, and supported.

Along with Kirkman, Tennille Hileman, the district administrator for the Guardian ad Litem program, implored people to become volunteers and help advocate for young victims.

The program helps young victims who’ve been referred by DSS, but there isn’t enough help right now.

“We have three to four staff members with two attorney advocates,” Hileman shared. “We only have 85 volunteers between the two counties, and had 179 children to serve in March. That left 43 children unassigned.”

Her goal is to only have two children assigned to each volunteer.

If anyone is interested in volunteering for the program, contact the Guardian ad Litem Office for Iredell and Alexander Counties at 704-832-6621.