No Silence, No Shame: Organizing Family Members of the Executed

 “No Silence, No Shame” is a new project of Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights that focuses on organizing families of the executed to speak out against the death penalty. 

 Upcoming event -- Family members of the executed will gather in Austin, Texas on October 27th, for a support and organizing meeting and then a public ceremony and launch of the “No Silence, No Shame” project.  If you are a family member of an executed person, or if you know a family member of an executed person who would like to participate, contact us right away at nosilence@murdervictimsfamilies.org

 Why this project? 

Family members of the executed are the death penalty’s invisible victims.  Although the death certificate of an executed individual lists the cause of death as “homicide,” few individuals or support organizations recognize family members of the executed as grieving survivors in need of assistance.

 As unrecognized victims who have been directly affected by executions, family members of the executed have the potential to be a powerful voice in the death penalty debate.  Yet in order to achieve a public voice, these families must overcome the shame and isolation that mitigates against speaking out.  That’s why a project that aims to bring survivors together is so badly needed.  Through this project, we aim to create a network among survivors around the country, develop publications to educate policymakers and the general public about the effects of the death penalty on surviving family members, and help family members of executed persons work with local abolition groups and speak out against the death penalty.