Male victims of domestic abuse
Charities dealing with men who suffer domestic abuse have, according to recently highlighted statistics BBC news, seen requests for help jump by up to 60% during the Covid 19 lockdown period. These follow on the back of the sharp rise in the numbers of women seeking similar help and support during the last six months.
There is little doubt t... Read more
Section 28 to be available in all courts by the end of the year
Giving evidence and being cross-examined in open court is a traumatic experience for any witness but more daunting for a child or a vulnerable witness
Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provides for special measures to help children and vulnerable witnesses give their evidence other than the usual way we all see in TV dramas – openly in court if front of every... Read more
Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Inspectorate has just published its 2019-20 annual report. This report comes against a backdrop of diminished resource availability over a prolonged period and, of course, the beginning of the Covid 19 crisis. As the report highlights, where there is a “stretch” of resource there are serious implications for quality accompanied by limited evidence of “grip”.
The report covers a range of inspection topics:... Read more
Victim Support Europe: Webinar on the impact of Covid 19 on victim services
It was a real pleasure to take part in a webinar hosted by VS Europe at the end of last week and to talk a little about our recent survey of victim service providers in England and Wales. Many of the concerns and views raised by our own respondents seem to be replicated across Europe: having to change significantly the way people engage with services; new working methods for staff and volunt... Read more
CPS approach to rape prosecutions ‘a disaster for justice for a crime which is already a terrible fit for our adversarial system’
This week, The Guardian published the latest in a series of articles tracking both an alleged change of approach by the CPS to its prosecution of rape cases and ongoing legal action by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) accusing the CPS of dropping cases to boost conviction rates.
While reported rapes ha... Read more
When my son Aaron was murdered 18 years ago, I had no idea where to turn to for help. I knew that my family was at the very beginning of experiencing something so terrible, it would change our lives forever. The shock, the pain, the on-going mental, emotional and physical trauma was something I had never experienced before and I knew we needed help. In the beginning, it was hard to imagine how we would survive the next hour, let alone what lay ahead. The darkness that overtook our lives ... Read more
We have previously posted about the Victims Choice Quality Mark which looks at how well an organisation delivers its services to victims. The Quality Mark is focused on outcomes (what the service actually delivers to those who use it and how effective it is) and so differs from other assessment processes that often look at processes, policies and systems.
We are delighted to tell you that we have now awarded our first Quality Mark to Derbyshire Victim Services. DVS offers suppo... Read more
After my marriage broke up, I went back on the dating scene. Not for long though, because my third date ended with my rape. I don’t remember much; after I told him I wasn’t that interested, between the starter and the main course, the next thing I knew was coming to with him on top of me, in my bed, in my flat. The whole night after is a blur of flashes or what happened, or what might have happened, I’m not that clear on anything. It was violent, and I remember the moment I ... Read more
I’m not really sure if I’ve ever been a victim of crime - I can’t remember anything that stands out. I know I’ve never been a victim of fraud - I’d remember that I think because I have a business and like to think I’m fairly savvy.
Then again, my old man used to think he was fairly savvy. Built up a business, ran it for thirty odd years fairly well (though he was never going to rival Branson or Sugar). He just seemed to love “the deal”... Read more
This article first appeared in Policing Insight.
There was a real gap in the provision of independent information to victims about where best they could find support, and also a lack of opportunity for victims to leave objective feedback that woul... Read more
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Fraud meaning: is when trickery is used to gain a dishonest advantage, which is often financial, over another person. There are many words used to describe fraud: Scam, con, swindle, extortion, sham, double-cross, hoax, etc.
Types of fraud can include:
If you're worried someone might see you have been on this page, find out how to stay safe online here.
Online abuse is any type of abuse that occurs on the internet - many of us spend part of our day on social media, smartphones, emails, online dating, online gaming and more. Because of this, there has been a sharp rise in online abuse. Young people can be especially vulnerable and may experience cyberbullying, grooming,... Read more
If you're worried someone might see you have been on this page, find out how to stay safe online here.
Terrorist attacks are unpredictable and are designed to cause mass fear and terror. Because of this, if you have been affected by terrorism, coming to terms with the physical and/or emotional impact of the incident can be complex and lengthy. You can access general emotional and practical support straight after an incid... Read more
If you're worried someone might see you have been on this page, find out how to stay safe online here.
What is stalking?
Stalking can take many different forms and stalkers often use a variety of methods to harass their victims. Stalking can be life changing and can have a severe impact on victims. What can make stalking exceptionally challenging is that it can often go on for long periods of t... Read more
If you're worried someone might see you have been on this page, find out how to stay safe online here.
If you have been victim of sexual violence it isn’t your fault - where you were, if you had been drinking, what you were wearing, etc. Sexual violence is the sole responsibility of the perpetrator though we know that victims may blame themselves. Whether the incident happened recently or in the past, remember that... Read more
Hate crime is defined as ‘any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic.’ It can be an act committed against a person or property. Anyone can be the victim of a hate incident. For example, you may have been targeted because someone thought you were gay even though you’re not, or because you have a disabled child.
If you're worried someone m... Read more
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age or ethnicity. We believe that anyone affected by domestic abuse should be able to receive the care and support they are entitled to.
If you're worried someone might see you have been on this page, find out how to stay safe online here.
What is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse can take many different forms and can affec... Read more
The Victims Choice website offers victims of crime the opportunity to choose a service appropriate to their needs based on location, crime type, support needs and, importantly, an appraisal of the service provider via first hand reviews from other service users.
The website, as well as offering service users the chance to offer a short review based on their own experiences, also gives them the chance to rate a service on a scale of one to five based on the five key standards we have... Read more
If you are looking to buy a new washing machine, a different brand of bread, a new coat for the Spring (eventually) the first thing you need to be aware of is where to start looking. It’s unlikely you will get a new coat in an electrical superstore or a nice granary loaf from the dress shop.
Most of us are very aware of where we can shop and find what we are looking for. Indeed, we often don’t need to leave the comfort of our sofas to shop these days - the internet has r... Read more
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