Observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul attended a ceremony of remembrance to observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4) TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page has photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 Thank you, Joe. It's hard to come to a place like this because as much as Pastor Mike Williams talks about love and joy, it's hard to feel it when you walk in a room of people who've been subjected to crimes themselves or lost a loved one. But your words are inspiring. They remind us that we mourn today, but tomorrow comes. And that is the hope that we learn from our teachings in the Bible.

And I want to thank District Attorney Lee Kindlon for bringing us together, and Sheriff Craig Apple and County Executive Dan McCoy. But this is not about us. It's about helping you get on a path to healing. Whether something traumatic happened to you personally or to a loved one, whether it was decades ago or happened last week, the trauma never quite leaves because this is not what life was supposed to be, right? You don't ask to be in this position. You don't want to be part of a group of people that you never ever thought of until that horrific time or that day. But here you are. Here you are honoring someone that meant the world to you, and now there's an empty seat at the table.

It's hard to get over that, but I want you to know this: While there may be 440,000 victims of crime every single year, I and the people you see here are committed to saying, “No more.” Whether it's someone who's harmed in the silence of their home — that place of security — by a loved one; domestic violence survivors, a random act of violence on a street, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or something as intentional as someone traveling three and a half hours to slaughter people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

There's no definition of a crime or a crime victim because there's so many different manifestations of it. But there is one common denominator, and that is searing pain. And I am committed as your governor to continue to work every single year as I have from day one to fight crime, support our law enforcement, but also to elevate and support the voices of the victims who for too long have felt voiceless. I will continue to be your voice, I will continue to be your advocate and I will continue on the work I'm doing today, tomorrow, and forever on your behalf.

So thank you for having the strength to show up here today. Thank you for making sure people out there know what it's like. Tell your stories and know that we're on your side. Thank you for arriving here today.

And I want to send the love of 20 million New Yorkers who support you as well. Thank you very much.