About Us

We are a grassroots organization founded in 1984 by crime victims and volunteers.   KVCV provides advocacy to survivors of homicide victims, including emotional support, court accompaniment, peer support groups, and access to all available services and resources for healing. 

We’re here to help you. Contact Us Today!

 

Our Story

Kentuckians’ Voice for Crime Victims (KVCV) is 501c3 grassroots non-profit, founded in 1984 by parents of children who were victims of homicide. These victim survivors, recognizing they had few rights in criminal proceedings, founded KVCV to assist other victims and lead the victims’ rights movement in Kentucky (KY). Led by its founders, Anne and Earl Pruitt whose son was murdered, KVCV was nationally recognized by President Ronald Reagan as one of 6 grassroots organizations across the country for their achievements in serving crime victims. Over the years, KVCV has been a leader in providing victim support and instrumental in legislation to protect the rights of crime victims.   
Fueled by the passion of victims, volunteers, and a dedicated staff, KVCV continues to serve KY victim survivors from their headquarters in Louisville, KY where well trained staff advocates provide victims with speedy access to comprehensive services and resources, to include: emotional support, personal advocacy, awareness of their rights as a crime victim, assistance in applying for available benefits, criminal/civil advocacy, accompaniment to related meetings, hearings, and proceedings, and peer support groups. 
As a grassroots volunteer organization, many of whom are victims themselves, KVCV offers loved ones of homicide victims peer support, the compassionate understanding of someone who has experienced the overwhelming grief of losing a loved through the violent crime of murder and has harnessed their grief to help others. Through these relationships, new victim survivors find hope that they too can survive and comfort that they have someone to talk to that accepts them where they are and understands their fears. KVCV assists victim survivors from the onset of the crime, throughout the criminal justice process, and as a lifetime peer support system. 

KVCV Founders

After Anne and Earl’s son was murdered, recognizing the need for change, they founded KVCV and became pioneers in the victims’ movement. Anne and Earl dedicated their lives to serving victims.  Earl traveled KY to accompany victims to court and Anne built the first peer support groups in KY. Anne single-handedly fought for victim meeting rooms outside KY courtrooms. In 2002, the unimaginable happened and their second son was murdered as he went to assist a neighbor who had just been burglarized. Following the murder of their second son, Anne and Earl, both in their 70s, continued their work at KVCV until Earl passed away. Anne, still strong in her Christian faith and her passion for others, was engaged in decision making at KVCV until she passed away in 2021. In addition to the award presented to KVCV by President Reagan, Ann was awarded the prestigious Bell Award, the National NOVA award, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kentucky Victims of Homicide Memorial Task Force.  

Grief & Legal Support

KVCV is committed to a philosophy of helping victims heal through victim-centered support. Every individual matters to us. Discover Grief and Healing Resources as well as Legal Resources to help you on your journey.

court advocacy

Over the past 34 years, KVCV has been instrumental in helping pass legislation to protect the rights to crime victims. Our Victim Advocates are ready to help you!

Victim support groups

The KVCV family is here to help you through the hardest moments of your grief by connecting you with other people who know what it’s like to lose a loved one to violent crime.

Our Mission 

To provide victim assistance and support to homicide victim survivors, to support efforts to improve victims’ rights, and to make comprehensive services and resources easy to access.

Our Team

 Founded by victims and volunteers, KVCV recognized the value of peer support for homicide victims’ survivors and in the past 35-years has built many lifetime friendships between victims and volunteers who fostered relationships built on sharing and caring. KVCV provides victim-centered victim assistance through emotional support, information and referral, assistance filing for available benefits, guidance through the criminal and civil justice process, victim support groups, and speedy access to other services and resources for healing.

See All Team Members