Victim Support

This #TrusteesWeek we want to say a big #ThankYou to our board of trustees for the time, commitment and effort they bring to Victim Support. Our trustees help us to work towards a future where victims’ rights are respected, their voices heard and they feel well supported. #Charity

This month is #IslamophobiaAwarenessMonth and so we wanted to talk about the ways we support and promote equality, diversity and inclusion. We do this by: - creating a positive culture throughout Victim Support - ensuring that equality, diversity, inclusion and respect are at the centre of all our activities - working towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination including islamophobia - encouraging positive action to overcome disadvantage and discrimination. We do not tolerate #Islamophobia and strive to ensure our staff are comfortable being their authentic selves at work. You can read more about how we work here: https://lnkd.in/ef2javF5 #IAM2024

At Victim Support, we have six equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) networks. Our networks are open to staff and volunteers who identify with these groups, but also anyone who wants to be an ally. These groups aim to explore the issues affecting the communities and identities that they represent, provide peer support to members, and increase awareness within our organisation. As part of #BlackHistoryMonth, we spoke to Chuks and Enoch, the co-chairs of the R.A.C.E Inclusive network. R.A.C.E stands for race, ancestry, culture and ethnicity. The network addresses the wider issues of racism prevalent throughout society that may affect staff and volunteers, and helps us identify opportunities to improve our services. Enoch wanted to be the chair of the R.A.C.E network as he felt that it was a good chance to amplify representations of various communities: “I wanted to push for change and to influence organisational culture and policies to be more inclusive - to inspire everyone at Victim Support.” Chuks became the R.A.C.E co-network chair to add value to Victim Support: “I identified that it was an opportunity to add value in terms of the conversation that needs to be around diversity, especially racial diversity. I knew that was lacking and so I wanted to be the driver for that conversation.” In addition to reviewing policies, Chuks and Enoch organise events throughout the year for members of the network. This Black History Month, they’ve hosted a range of webinars with guest speakers such as psychotherapist Vanessa Boachie on understanding generational trauma and Chelsea Jarman, who delivers training on modern day slavery to discuss the impacts of the crime. EDI Lead, Isaac commented: “Our EDI networks play a vital role in ensuring lived experience is at the centre of all we do. Chuks and Enoch, along with the members of the R.A.C.E Inclusive network, have worked tirelessly to champion race equality within VS, helping us better meet the needs of our staff, volunteers and service users. We’ve recently introduced protected time and senior leadership team support for network co-chairs to help extend the influence of the networks.” Want to know more about our EDI networks? Visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eHKfKgnr #BlackHistoryMonth #EDI

Every year we support tens of thousands of victims and what they tell us is that the system is broken. Faith in the police is at rock bottom, court delays are at record levels and victims’ services - a lifeline to many - face serious funding challenges. The additional funding allocated to the Ministry of Justice in today’s budget is desperately needed to rebuild a criminal justice system on its knees. This uplift must now translate into meaningful improvements for all victims of crime. As a first step, we urge the Government to deliver consistent, long term funding for victims’ services, ensuring anyone who experiences crime gets the help and support they need, regardless of whether or not they report to the police. Victims who do encounter the criminal justice system deserve a radically better service – which means cutting wait times from report to court and putting an end to adjournments. This budget has potential to drive positive change for victims. It is essential that their needs are prioritised in spending plans that follow. https://lnkd.in/es_vQDUD?

We’re showcasing another role at Victim Support to give more insight into what we do. This month, we spoke with Chloe who is a team leader for our national live chat service. Chloe speaks to a variety of people about their experiences of crime each day. The live chat service is open 24/7 and people can talk about their experiences of any type of crime, so each conversation is different to the last. “The team who operate live chat here at our National Contact Centre (NCC) have to be so adaptable and they have such a wide range of knowledge to support with all areas and situations. The service is very busy, so the team are taking chats consistently for their full shift, which requires a lot of emotional resilience on their part too, particularly since they never know what they’re about to deal with when picking up a chat.” On difficult days, Chloe turns to her colleagues at the NCC who offer support and help wherever they can. “It can be tough not knowing what happens to a victim after your initial chat with them. We take a lot of first disclosures, and see people at their most difficult times. If they need it, we can refer them onto local specialist support for the right help for their situation, and we often don’t know the outcome once we’ve referred them and that can be hard.” Chloe enjoys being part of the live chat team and likes that live chat is such an accessible platform for people affected by crime. It’s especially helpful for people who may not have been comfortable reaching out for phone support. “Since we took on live chat, I’ve learned how important it is to provide an online service, as many people are so much more comfortable sharing their experiences this way. Not having to speak aloud, or be away from others in their household, can make such a difference in their choice to reach out, or in how much they’re comfortable disclosing. It’s been really rewarding to be able to offer this service.” Want to make a difference like Chloe? Find our latest vacancies here: https://lnkd.in/d3Wus3i #MakeADifference #DayInTheLifeInsights

Our recent report, 'Suffering for Justice', revealed three quarters of #SexualViolence victim-survivors face questions rooted in #Rape myths during cross examination. This BBC News article takes a deep dive into why these myths are so common – and how attitudes about sexual violence in society find their way into the court room. https://lnkd.in/eppSiey3

Our purpose is to provide #SpecialistHelp to victims of crime so they feel better able to move forward from their experiences. We understand it takes time. We're here to listen, 24/7. 📞08 08 16 89 111 💻https://lnkd.in/ewmGrYz #50Voices

Our 'Suffering for justice' report focuses on victim survivors’ experience across three stages: before, during and after giving evidence, revealing long waits every point: - Half (50%) of cases analysed waited three years or more from the point of reporting to the police to the first court date. - Half (47%) of cases analysed were adjourned, some up to four times, often at the last minute, with no explanation. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ezKzYPMU #SVResearch

Our CEO, Katie Kempen, attended the Cifas Member Forum to speak about victims' experiences of #Fraud and to discuss how we can better respond to victims' needs.   Katie spoke alongside industry experts and policy makers with the aim to collectively come together and ask what can be done to combat the threat of fraud.   #CifasMemberForum24

If you know someone who has experienced #HateCrime, remind them that it’s not their fault. We can help immediately after an incident or any time after the crime has taken place. We’ll listen in confidence and offer information to help people move forward from their experience. We can provide a #SafeSpace to talk: 📞08 08 16 89 111 💻https://lnkd.in/ewmGrYz #NoPlaceForHate #WeStandTogether #SafePlaceForAll