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Male victim: I GOT THE NEWS, A PHONE CALL ONE EVENING
THAT NO PARENT WANTS TO HEAR,
AND THAT WAS THAT MY SON WAS MURDERED.
I WENT TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME WHERE HE WAS MURDERED,
AND I LOOKED AROUND,
AND I DIDN'T SEE FANFARE AND I DIDN'T SEE LIGHTS,
AND I FELT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE.
Female victim: EVERYBODY WANTS THE AMERICAN DREAM
OF A FAMILY, HOUSE, KIDS, DOG, AND WHATNOT.
ONCE MY EX-HUSBAND BECAME ABUSIVE,
I FELT LIKE I HAD NOWHERE TO GO TO FIND SAFETY.
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS DEFINITELY A COFFIN.
Female victim: THE MAN WHO SHOT ME AND PARALYZED ME
WILL BE OUT IN 20 YEARS.
HE'LL BE OUT, BUT I'LL STILL BE IN A WHEELCHAIR.
Male victim: 35 YEARS AGO,
JUSTICE WAS A VERY DIFFERENT CONCEPT
FROM WHAT IT IS TODAY.
IT HAD VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE STATE AND THE CRIMINAL.
THE VICTIM HAD NO INPUT INTO THE PROCESS AT ALL.
IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
Female victim: IT IS EVOLVING.
IT IS BRINGING VICTIMS THE ABILITY
TO MAKE CHANGES IN OUR SYSTEM.
BEFORE THE AMBUSH TOOK PLACE,
I BELIEVE I THOUGHT JUSTICE WORKED IN A VACUUM.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I BELIEVE JUSTICE IS NOW.
JUSTICE CANNOT WORK UNLESS EVERYBODY WORKS TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN IT,
YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.
Female victim: MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED
IN THE PENTAGON ATTACK ON SEPTEMBER 11th.
I HAD A CHANCE TO BE A WITNESS,
TO GO TO THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN ALEXANDRIA
TO TESTIFY AND TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
9/11 FAMILY MEMBERS, WE SUFFER EVERY SINGLE DAY,
EVERY SINGLE HOUR IN OUR LIFE.
AND I JUST WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND.
Female victim: WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE
THAT CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS ARE UPHELD IN EVERY COURT
AND EVERY TIME THEY GO TO THE PAROLE BOARD
AND WITH THE POLICE,
AND THAT IT DOESN'T FALL SHORT FOR ANY CRIME VICTIM.
SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU
IS NOT JUST LEFT ON THE SIDE AT THE CRIME SCENE.
Male victim: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, YOU KNOW,
THAT JUSTICE IS RETRIBUTION.
I DON'T THINK THAT IS REALLY WHAT JUSTICE IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW.
JUSTICE IS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO, TO...
TO GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.
Female victim: JUSTICE MEANS FAITH THAT I CAN DO SOMETHING,
THAT MY VOICE MATTERS.
Male victim: JUSTICE MUST BE EQUAL,
AND JUSTICE FOR CRIME VICTIMS
SHOULD BE AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE.
Male victim: YOU KNOW, IT TOOK ME 30 YEARS
TO FIND MY VOICE.
I HAD NEVER MET ANOTHER VICTIM OF *** ASSAULT
UNTIL I SPOKE OUT.
AND THEN I FOUND OUT THEY WERE ALL AROUND ME.
SO I'M THEIR VOICE NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M THEIR VOICE.
I GET TO TALK FOR THEM, YOU KNOW,
UNTIL THEY CAN FIND THEIR OWN ONE DAY.
Female victim: I TELL MY STORY SO THAT I CAN HELP SAVE LIVES,
IN HOPES THAT WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE PROGRESS
TO ENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
Male victim: I DON'T WANT TO SEE FAMILIES GO THROUGH
WHAT ME AND MY FAMILY HAVE GONE THROUGH,
AND IT TAKES A COMMUNITY WORKING IN CONCERT TOGETHER
TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS.
Female victim: ONE MONTH AFTER SEPTEMBER 11,
I WENT TO THE PENTAGON TO ATTEND A CEREMONY.
AT THAT TIME, WHEN I HOLD THE FLAG
AND I WAVE THE AMERICAN FLAG,
I FEEL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I FEEL I'M VERY CLOSE
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY I'M AMERICAN.
People: ...INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
Female victim: WE, AS AMERICAN CITIZENS,
HAVE SUCH A RESPONSIBILITY AND SUCH POWER.
Male victim: TO BE VICTIMIZED BY A CRIME,
IT AFFECTS MY FAMILY,
IT AFFECTS FAMILIES OF MY SON'S FRIENDS,
IT AFFECTS THEIR CHILDREN, IT AFFECTSTHEIRCHILDREN,
IT AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY,
SO THERE'S A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT GOES TO THE Nth DEGREE
WITH JUST ONE CRIME VICTIM.
AND WE MUST HAVE JUSTICE FOR ALL IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.