Victim Exploitation Does Not Equal Victim Advocacy

When we created our mission at Light The Way, we identified a critical need for advocates dedicated to centering victims and their families while refraining from sensationalizing their narratives for entertainment purposes. These narratives are about victims whose absences impact their loved ones tremendously. These families speak about how the trajectory of their lives change the instant their loved one goes missing or has been murdered. More often than not, when a family member of a missing or murdered loved one reaches out for help via the internet, it is when they are at their lowest and most vulnerable, and they are desperately seeking support, answers, and any possible ray of hope. 

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As advocates and community members interested in these cases, we need to remember to:

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• do no harm

• be respectful of victim and family boundaries

• be FACTUAL

• engage with empathy

• be the voice of impact and change