National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month

The Council is recognizing November 20 through December 20, 2026, as National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month in the City of Boston, honoring individuals, families, and communities impacted by homicide. The resolution also expresses support for establishing a National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month at the federal level to raise awareness and promote access to support services for survivors.

The resolution identifies gun violence as a national public health crisis, noting that approximately 20,000 homicides occur in the United States each year. For every homicide victim, at least 10 family members are left to cope with the loss, resulting in approximately 200,000 new survivors of homicide victims annually. Those impacted include parents, siblings, children, spouses, partners, extended family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and entire communities.

Homicide is the leading cause of death among Black Americans ages 12 to 19 and the second leading cause of death for teenagers nationwide. Nearly one in four Black and Latino adults report having lost a loved one to gun-related homicide. More than half of women who are homicide victims are killed as a result of intimate partner violence.

The resolution emphasizes the importance of providing surviving family members with compassionate, coordinated, and consistent support following a homicide. It recognizes the need for services in the immediate aftermath of a loss, as well as continued opportunities for healing in the months and years that follow. It also highlights the importance of allowing families and loved ones to remember and honor the lives of those they have lost, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Additionally, the resolution recognizes the leadership of homicide survivors who use their experiences to inform public policy and advocate for safer, more peaceful communities. Survivors, advocates, and service providers are working together to develop equitable and effective community-based responses to homicide. Leadership of surviving family and community members plays an important role in disrupting cycles of violence, addressing trauma, and promoting healing and peace.