GCWCFN Survivors of Homicide

The Homicide Survivors program offers services to families, friends, and other loved ones of homicide victims. Services include grief counseling, court advocacy, and victim compensation application assistance. The Forever Changed Support Group meets to provide support and caring for survivors.

Survivors of Homicide Victims Program

The families and friends of homicide victims experience a sudden traumatic, life changing loss. Homicide is not a normal death. A loved one has been taken and you, the survivor, must reorganize your life around this void. This loss may extend into your practical, financial, emotional, social, and religious worlds. You may not only lose a loved one, but also your sense of being part of a community, a system of civic relationships, and a just universe. Peace of mind is your greatest loss.

Dear Survivor:

If you are visiting this web site as the survivor of a homicide victim, please accept our condolences upon the death of your loved one. Coping with violent death is always difficult. It is a loss beyond comprehension or reason. Our hearts go out to you and your family.

You may be experiencing physical symptoms of pain such as tightness in the chest or throat, weakness in muscles, sighing, great sensitivity or crying endlessly. You may feel shock or numbness, sadness or anger, guilt, anxiety, fear, or helplessness. You may have sleep disturbances, absentmindedness, social withdrawal, painful dreams, avoidance, or many other behavioral symptoms of grief. Denial, confusion, and hallucinations may make you feel that you are going crazy. Remember: You are a normal person having a normal response to a traumatic event. You will find a new “normal”. But, you have been “forever changed”.

The Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence, Survivors of Homicide Victims’ Program, is here to assist you and members of your family. Forever Changed is open to anyone enduring the loss of a loved one to murder, manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide, act of war, or other violent death incident. There will be other survivors at the support group meetings to share your grief and pain as you walk this lonely road. Join hands with other survivors.

“Together we are stronger, together we are wiser, together we remember”.

It would be an honor for us to hear about your challenges and adjustments to your tragic loss, and to talk about ways our agency might be able to assist you or your family. Should you decide to include us as part of your support system, all of our services are free of charge to you and your family. If you need us, or only want someone to talk with by phone, day or night, someone will be there. We have a 24 hour, 7 day a week, crisis line with a toll-free number available to you at 1-(800)-800-1396 or weekdays at 228-868-4150.

Again, we offer our condolences in your sorrow.

Advocate, Survivors of Homicide Program,

Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence

Forever Changed

THE FOREVER CHANGED SUPPORT GROUP FOR SURVIVORS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS MEETS TWO TIMES A MONTH, ONCE IN PASCAGOULA, AND ONCE IN GULFPORT. MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN COME TOGETHER TO SHARE, CARE, AND GIVE SUPPORT TO OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE FROM MURDER, MANSLAUGHTER, MOTOR VEHICLE HOMICIDE, OR OTHER VIOLENT DEATH.

ON OUR WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, YOU WILL FIND PICTURES AND STORIES ABOUT THE HOMICIDE VICTIMS AND THEIR SURVIVORS. EACH VICTIM HAS A STORY AND A LOVED ONE LEFT BEHIND TO ENDURE THE PAIN OF THEIR VIOLENT DEATH. SURVIVORS ARE MOTHERS, FATHERS, SISTERS, BROTHERS, GRANDPARENTS, CHILDREN, AND OTHERS WHO LOVED THEM AND MISS THEM. THEY ARE FOREVER IN THE HEARTS OF THESE SURVIVORS.

Survivors of Homicide Victims Program

Forever Changed

For information about the Forever Changed meetings call: The Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence, 1-800-800-1396 or 1-228-868-4150. The Gulf Coast Women’s Center is a nonprofit, United Way Agency. Our services are free.