SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) was honored by The Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance with a legislator of the year award. The award was presented at MOVA’s annual Victim Rights Awards Ceremony on April 23 at the State House.
MOVA, an independent state agency governed by the Victim and Witness Assistance Board, strives to advance victim rights by ensuring all victims and survivors of crime across the commonwealth are supported and empowered through access to high-quality services that are trauma-informed, culturally responsive and reflective of diverse communities.
“Survivor voices should not only be included, but at the forefront of policymaking which is why I filed legislation to ensure the membership of the state’s Victim and Witness Assistance Board has equitable and fair representation,” Gomez said. “I celebrate MOVA’s deep commitment to addressing the evolving needs of survivors over the last 40 years and look forward to collaborating with my colleagues in the legislature to advocate for these critical services.”
Among Gomez’s fellow honorees, Massachusetts Parole Board Victim Service Coordinator Julie Devlin; Kate Lagana, deputy chief of the victim witness assistance program with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Anthia Elliott, program director for the Behavioral Health Network.
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of MOVA and the formalization of Victim Rights in Massachusetts through the development of the Victim Bill of Rights, which statutorily ensures rights and services for crime victims and survivors throughout the state.
