Victims of Violent Crimes Find Comfort in $24-Million Fund

The man climbed through the bedroom window at 2 a.m. He covered the 37-year-old Van Nuys woman’s mouth with his hand, and then held a seven-inch hunting knife against her throat.

After raping the woman, he fled, taking with him jewelry and cash.

But the most valuable commodity the attacker took was the victim’s peace of mind.

Thinking that the rapist would return, the woman, a registered nurse, became paranoid and depressed. Even after resorting to tranquilizers, she would awake screaming in the middle of the night, her bed sheets soaked with perspiration.

Ten days after the rape, the woman sought help from two City of Los Angeles employees who work out of a cramped Van Nuys office that serves as a refuge for victims of violent crimes.

There she was greeted by Eileen Avers and Hilda Campos, who listened to the details of her ordeal and offered advice on where to find therapy and counseling to help her recover.

The two women work in the Van Nuys branch of the Victim-Witness Assistance Program, operated by the city attorney’s office. In addition to providing emotional assistance, they explain to crime victims how they can receive up to $23,000 in state aid.

Campos said the financial aid can be used to recover money spent for medical expenses, prescriptions, rehabilitative services and psychological counseling as a result of the crime. It can also be used to recover income lost as a result of the assault.

The money comes from a $24-million fund derived from a percentage of fines and penalties levied against convicted criminals. The statewide compensation program was established in 1965 and was the first such victim-restitution fund in the nation.

Since 1979, the compensation program has been self-supporting; no tax funds have been used for awards. Last year, approximately $17 million was distributed statewide to victims of violent crimes.

Although many victims suffer physically, the most common problem they share is a sense of loss of control, a feeling that they are powerless to control their destinies, said Campos, coordinator of the Van Nuys office.

“They feel they are losers. They suddenly think they have no control over their lives. Whatever they do is worthless. They are at a critical point in their lives. We do everything we can to ease them over the phase.”

The rape victim was referred by Campos to private therapists who specialize in counseling victims of violent crimes. She has filed a claim with the state fund for medical expenses as well as for lost wages.

If the victim is covered by insurance, the fund will pay any deductible not covered by the policy. If a civil suit is filed against an assailant and a financial settlement is awarded, the victim must repay the state for money received from the fund.

In order to receive funds, the victim must agree to testify against the assailant if the criminal is captured. The victim must also cooperate fully with law enforcement personnel in the arrest, identification and eventual prosecution of the assailant.

“The rationale behind the program is to give victims some voice, some power,” said Campos. “They are often the most forgotten in the criminal justice process. We are here to accommodate them.”

Monday is usually the busiest day for Campos and Avers, with victims of violent crimes--mostly muggings and rapes--often lined up outside the office in a corridor, waiting to apply for emergency aid.

Some in Bandages

Some are bandaged, others arrive cradling their swollen heads in their hands. Up to $1,000 in aid can be issued within 30 days.

Last year, the Van Nuys office, at 14410 Sylvan St. in the Van Nuys City Hall building, screened 25,726 cases. A total of $181,494 in aid was disbursed to 597 victims or their families. The payments must be approved by examiners in Sacramento, and claims can take up to one year to be paid, Campos said.

There are five victim-witness assistance offices in the Valley, two operated by the city attorney’s office and three by the district attorney’s office. The offices are located in Van Nuys, Encino, North Hollywood and San Fernando.

More Than Sympathy

Juanita Arreguin, a victim-witness coordinator in the San Fernando district attorney’s office, said the job requires more than patience and sympathy.

Last week, Arreguin saw the husband of a 28-year-old Northridge woman, a victim earlier this year of an accident involving a drunk driver. The accident left the woman a quadriplegic.

“His wife screamed at him that morning, saying she wished she had died instead of lived,” Arreguin said.

“He was angry at everyone--at the drunk driver, at the insurance company, at the prosecutors, at himself,” she said.

For some victims, recovery takes longer than for others. In June, 1982, Frank Irey, 61, was working in his Sunland jewelry store when two men walked in. One fired a bullet from a .38-caliber pistol that hit Irey in the collar bone and ricocheted through his left lung.

Near Death 11 Days

For the next 11 days, doctors warned Irey’s family that his chances of recovery were remote.

Irey did recover, however. He now has difficulty controlling movements of his left hand and arm and 40% of his left lung has deteriorated, making his breathing labored.

In addition to the physical injury he suffered, he said, his business was ruined. No one in his family could take it over and it has been closed since the assault.

“Emotionally and financially you begin to crumble once you’re a victim,” he said. “Our source of income was stopped that day of the assault. We had to give up our apartment and had to stay with friends and family.”

Irey so far has received about $8,000 from the state program to cover the portion of his medical bills not paid by insurance. He is still waiting to receive benefits from the fund to cover lost income.

Criminals Sent to Prison

Both the gunman and his accomplice were captured one month after the crime. Irey testified against the men in Van Nuys Superior Court. The gunman was sentenced to state prison for 27 years, and his partner for 24 years.

Irey said he is thankful for the money and assistance Campos and Avers were able to provide.

“The money we got from the state helped,” he said. “It wasn’t much, but it was something. Before the robbery, we thought we’d be coasting by now. Instead, we’re just trying to start over again.”

Irey’s story is not unusual.

“You get to listen to some pretty horrible stories,” Avers said. “But when the victims walk out, most say, ‘You’re the first people interested in what happened to me.’ They can’t thank you enough.”