MADISON – This weekend, Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin hosted a community outreach event aimed at informing residents of Brown County about their rights under Wisconsin’s crime victims’ rights constitutional amendment known as Marsy’s Law. The event featured resources aimed at the Green Bay area Latino community.
“Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin is extremely grateful to the Green Bay area organizations who partnered with us on this event to inform area residents about victims’ rights in Wisconsin,” said Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin Outreach Director Nela Kalpic. “After nearly two years of witnessing the positive impacts of Marsy’s Law in action, we remain dedicated to helping educate Wisconsin residents about their rights under the new amendment and the valuable services offered by the organizations that work diligently to serve victims in the community each day.”
The event was held in partnership with the Brown County District Attorney’s Office and co-hosted in collaboration with Casa ALBA Melanie, the resource center for the Hispanic community in the Green Bay area. Members participated in a panel discussion that included speakers from Marsy’s Law, the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services, an organization within Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin dedicated to support local survivors of sexual assault and abuse, and Golden House, a comprehensive domestic violence program serving victims in Brown County.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin and other valued Green Bay area partners for this event,” said Melanie Maczka, Casa ALBA Melanie Executive Director. “The mission of Casa ALBA Melanie is to nurture the well-being and wholesome development of all members of the Hispanic community in the Green Bay area. Too often, minority communities face some of the greatest obstacles to navigating the legal system if they ever become a victim of crime. Educating this community about their rights under Marsy’s Law is crucial to ensuring their ability to access those rights.”
The event provided information to community residents about the rights that exist for Wisconsin crime victims under the crime victims’ constitutional amendment enacted in April of 2020 with overwhelming public support. Attendees also learned about services available to crime victims from the District Attorney’s office and organizations like Golden House.
“The implementation of Marsy’s Law has elevated the role of victims in the legal process, here in Brown County and around the state,” said David Lasee, Brown County District Attorney. “By focusing on educating Wisconsin residents about their rights under the state’s crime victims’ constitutional amendment, we can help ensure they are able to draw on these rights if they ever find themselves navigating the legal system as a victim.”
A full list of the rights available to Wisconsin crime victims under Marsy’s Law is available here.
