The Gloucester Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and its Victim Witness Assistance Program will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 18-24.

Established in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, the goal of the awareness week is to shine a light on victims of crime by recognizing their struggles and working to ensure them that they are not alone. This year’s theme is “Support Victims, Build Trust and Engage Communities.”

For more than 30 years, the Gloucester Victim Witness Assistance Program has worked with the prosecutors of the county’s commonwealth attorney’s office to ensure victims’ voices are heard and their rights upheld. The program also connects victims with local and state resources to help work through the many struggles that they bear.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, the local victim witness assistance program will host a mock trial in the Page Middle School auditorium to display aspects of a real criminal trial. Local organizations that provide resources t...