“The first thing I thought to myself? This is my fault.”

Gigi Kilroe was raped at the age of 18.

“I desperately needed someone to be there for me, to say to me ‘let me get you to a court house’, ‘let me get you to a police officer’, ‘this is not your fault’. But I didn’t have that,” Kilroe said, speaking at a Crime Victim’s Rights rally this week.

Decades after the incident, she now shares her story to help other victims know they are not alone—and they have rights.

“No one has the right to extinguish the light that shines within you,” she said as her dedication and phrase of encouragement to all victims and survivors.

April 21-27 is this year's National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. Organizations take the chance to educate communities, while also advocating for increased success in connecting crime victim’s to services.

Law enforcement are required to inform victim’s of their rights. Still, the process of learning and accessing these rights can be overwhelming.

“Nobody ever anticipates being a victim of crime- its something they are just thrust into,” said Kathy Buckley, director of Pennsylvania’s Office of Victim Services. "And all of a sudden, trauma happens, and they don’t know where to go, what to do, and what their options are.”

Buckley encourages anyone with questions about their rights to talk with trusted friends and family, and search online for local organizations. Law enforcement may give a basic overview, but victim service organizations can give more nuanced guidance and references.

She shared some of the right’s that victims may not recognize they can seek.

“Victim compensation is key. And I think, also learning that they can access a victim advocate when going through our criminal justice system,” said Buckley.

Victim compensation can range from paying for therapy to getting your walker or eyeglasses replaced because of an incident.

A couple of organizations in our communities that can help get you more information: