Voice of the People 02/06/26

As part of our ongoing effort to elevate voices calling for equal rights for crime victims, we’re pleased to share this letter to the editor from Mao Xiong, originally published by the Leader Telegram. 

Display lauded for creating awareness

As the interim executive director of the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, I witness firsthand how differently victims can experience the justice system, particularly in underserved and immigrant communities in our region. Marsy’s Law guarantees important constitutional rights to all crime victims in Wisconsin, but those rights are most meaningful when people know they exist and feel safe using them.

Recently, our organization was honored to help facilitate the Marsy’s Law silhouettes display at the Eau Claire County Courthouse. The silhouettes offered a simple but powerful reminder that victims are part of every community and that they have rights and deserve access to information, respect and meaningful participation. For many people, seeing these reminders can be the first step toward awareness.

For members of the Hmong community, however, awareness is not always automatic. Language barriers, cultural perspectives and past experiences with government systems can make it difficult to understand available resources or seek help after a crime. Trusted community organizations can help bridge this gap by sharing information in ways that are culturally respectful and accessible.

As a culturally specific victim service provider, the Eau Claire Hmong Association works to ensure that Hmong individuals and families understand their rights and know where to turn for support. When information is shared in familiar language and cultural context, crime victims are far more likely to feel safe reaching out for help.

Community partnerships and public education efforts like the silhouettes display play an important role in ensuring victims’ rights are accessible to all members of our community.

We are grateful to our community partners who help make these efforts possible and invite readers to learn more about victims’ rights and local support services, so together we can build a more informed and compassionate community.

Mao Xiong

Eau Claire