As daylight grows shorter and the holidays approach, the winter season can be a difficult time for those who have lost a loved one to homicide. That’s one of the reasons why Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month (SHVAM) is marked every year from Nov. 20 to Dec. 20.
Every year, SHVAM is held in communities across the nation to draw attention to the traumatic impacts of homicide on families and individuals, and to amplify the voices of survivors of homicide victims.
The Anchorage Assembly and Mayor Dave Bronson have officially recognized Survivors of Homicide Awareness Month (SHVAM) with a resolution passed unanimously at the December 7 Assembly meeting.
The full text of the resolution is here.
The resolution notes that 48 homicides occurred in Alaska last year. Eighteen of them happened in Anchorage.
Losing a loved one to homicide is one of the most traumatic events a person can experience and the impacts are deep and wide ranging.
“Homicide victims are loved and grieved by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, partners, grandparents, aunts, uncles, extended family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and communities across the country,” the resolution says.
It calls on Anchorage community members to respond to all “families suffering in the aftermath of a homicide with compassion and support services.”
“To all surviving family members of homicide victims in Anchorage, you are not alone. Your community joins you in your pain and offers empathy,” the resolution concludes.
If you wish to support services to the survivors of Alaska homicide victims, especially during SHVAM 2021, there’s a button on our website’s home page where you can donate. It’s also here. Thank you for your generous support.
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