Silhouette display at Outagamie County Courthouse will help call attention to
Wisconsin’s crime victims’ rights constitutional amendment known as Marsy’s Law.
APPLETON, Wis. – Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin is partnering with the Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office and Harbor House to raise awareness about the rights available to crime victims, and resources available to support them, through a compelling display of silhouettes at the Outagamie County Courthouse.
The courthouse display, which is happening this Monday, October 6, will feature eight red silhouettes, which symbolize individuals who have been victimized by crime. Each silhouette will feature a key right guaranteed to victims under Wisconsin’s constitutional crime victims’ rights amendment, known as Marsy’s Law. These rights include the right to privacy, notice, to confer with the prosecution, be present, be heard, restitution, to know your rights, and to enforce your rights.
Each silhouette will be painted red to ensure visibility and will include QR codes that link directly to resources provided by Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin, Harbor House, and the Wisconsin Office of Crime Victim Services. The display is designed to highlight the human stories behind the rights and remind the community that victims and survivors walk among us, often unseen.
“Every day, we serve survivors who are navigating both the trauma of the crime itself and the complexities of the justice system,” said Harbor House Programs Director Michelle Ruhl. “The rights in Marsy’s Law provide critical protections, and this event brings those rights into focus in a way that is visible and accessible to every person, from every walk of life.”
“The silhouettes are more than just symbols – they are reminders of the real people in our community who rely on the rights provided through Marsy’s Law and the services available in our community,” said Outagamie County District Attorney Mindy Tempelis. “They emphasize that these protections are not abstract, but available to any person who finds themselves in the criminal justice process through no
fault of their own.”
“Rights are only meaningful if people are aware of them and are in a position to exercise them,” said Nela Kalpic, State Director for Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin. “We are grateful to District Attorney Templis and Harbor House for working with us on this important event to build greater awareness of Marsy’s Law in the Valley.”
The eight silhouettes will be publicly placed from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 6 at the Outagamie County Courthouse, 320 S Walnut St, Appleton, WI 54911.
