Two metro Atlanta events earlier this week commemorated National Crime Victims' Rights Week, involving several legal organizations. First, to kick off the week, the Crime Victims Advocacy Council (CVAC), a Vinings-based nonprofit, held its 33rd annual Crime Victims' Memorial Service Sunday at First Baptist Church of Decatur. It was a healing event for victims and survivors of crime, dedicated to providing families an opportunity to honor and remember their loved ones through readings, reflections and music. Speakers included representatives of the Cobb County District Attorney's Office, Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office, State Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, plus a civil justice attorney, victim advocate and others. Attendees read the names of loved ones and lit candles in their memory. Memorial walls honored many of those murdered in metro Atlanta from 1992 to 2022, and attendees were able to bring mementos to place in front of the sanctuary. In 2022, there were 548 crime-related fatalities in metro Atlanta's five largest counties, including 276 in Fulton, 131 in DeKalb, 50 in Gwinnett, 46 in Clayton and 45 in Cobb. A second event held Tuesday at Georgia State University in Atlanta featured the Conversation on Victims' Rights, a panel discussion, echoing this year's National Crime Victims' Rights Week theme of "Survivor Voices: Elevate, Engage, Effect Change." The event was held in partnership between the Georgia Office of Victim Services, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the university. "We hope to raise awareness of the services our office provides through this event," said Rita Rocker, director of the Georgia Office of Victim Services, in a news release. For more information on CVAC, visit cvaconline.org. For more information on the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, visit pap.georgia.gov.