PDAA President David Strouse Speaks at Crime Victims’ Rights Rally

HARRISBURG – PDAA President and Clinton County District Attorney David Strouse on Monday spoke at the 33rd Annual Crime Victims’ Rally in the State Capitol, which was hosted by the Crime Victims Alliance of Pennsylvania. “Kinship, Connecting & Healing” was this year’s theme.

The following are his remarks:

“Good morning. My name is David Strouse. I am the District Attorney of Clinton County and President of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. Thank you for inviting me to speak at this rally for crime victims.

Every day, prosecutors across Pennsylvania work closely with crime victims and their families to seek justice. We see the trauma that victims experience. The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Associations remains committed to working with you to ensure that crime victims receive the help, support, and services they need.

In January, the District Attorneys sent a letter to Governor Shapiro alerting him to serious public safety issues, including a shortfall facing the national Crime Victims Fund. This federal money helps fund thousands of victim service providers across the country, including programs serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, trafficking, and drunk driving.

The district attorneys told the Governor that we are committed to working with him and state lawmakers to ensure services in our state remain properly funded.

In addition, we informed the Governor that the Pennsylvania Older Adults Protective Services Act – which protects older Pennsylvanians from fraud and abuse – is woefully out-of-date. The law needs to keep up with the new emerging technology, which is making it harder for older Pennsylvania – and all of us, frankly – to be able to avoid scams and manipulation.

Finally, district attorneys work diligently to seek justice and protection for victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

I would like to conclude with a warning to parents and caregivers: Please protect your children from online predators.

We have seen an increase in young people being abused online from sexual predators who pressure them into sharing nude photos or videos. Parents and caregivers need to stay informed on current online trends, dangers, and content. Talk to your child about the dangers of sharing personal information or images online. And reassure them that, if they are being victimized, they should not let shame or embarrassment stop them from coming forward and telling a trusted adult.

Our role as district attorneys is to ensure that victims are heard and justice is served. We remain ready to work with you to meet those objectives and support crime victims across Pennsylvania. Thank you.” 

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