Victims should not have to cope alone

Joanne Rowe investigates.

CRIME victims' suffering can continue long after the actual offence, with needs going largely ignored by society.

In the 25 years since the Victim Support Scheme was set up, the traumas suffered by people at the hands of criminals have received greater recognition.

But the organisation says that while voluntary groups such as themselves are helping support the casualties of crime, official bodies and Government policy makers are failing to do their part.

A new report has been produced by the organisation to coincide with Victim Support Week titled "Criminal Neglect: No Justice Beyond Criminal Justice".

It states that most official agencies, such as housing departments and the NHS, are unaware of the special needs of victims, let alone providing appropriate services for them.

It stresses that while there is now a focus on helping victims through the court process the vast majority of crimes never reach the criminal justice system.

"Only three per cent of victims see the person who has targeted them charged and put through the courts," said Dame Helen Reeves, chief executive of Victim Support.

"Another one pc are awarded compensation for violent crimes. So 96pc of victims have no help."

Housing and healthcare agencies particularly come in for criticism for overlooking victims' needs.

THE report says that while the Department of Health has produced guidance for staff on dealing with victims of domestic violence, other types of crime have been ignored with a failure to train staff about the support and information needs of patients.

VSS also claims that nationally there is little, or no priority given to victims who need to be rehoused because crimes occurred in their homes or the offenders live nearby.

Other areas which need attention, says the charity, are provisions to make sure landlords provide safe, secure accommodation, ways of making insurance affordable for people on low incomes and changes to social security rules which will not stop people who have received criminal injuries compensation getting benefits.

"If ever there was a case for joined up government, this is it," said Dame Helen.

"We believe that an entirely new way of thinking about crime is needed -- one that recognises the needs of victims of crime as the responsibility of the whole community, rather than leaving people to suffer in silence while we focus our attention on offenders."

Bolton Victim Support Scheme and Witness Service deals with more than 14,500 local crime victims each year and believes the kind of co-operation it has been building with other organisations over the last few years is an example of what can be achieved elsewhere in the country.

In the town a Crime and Disorder Panel brings together police, Bolton Council, the health service and voluntary agencies to create a multi-agency approach to tackling crime and its consequences.

One of its priorities is supporting the victims of crime and the panel chairman, Chief Supt Mel Pelham, head of Bolton police says in recent years there have been a number of initiatives to do this including schemes aimed at victims of domestic violence, support for gay and lesbian victims and help for the victims of racist incidents.

From April this year a new Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy will come into force in the borough and a key part will be setting up a group to bring together all relevant organisations to oversee witness and victim support in the area.

Lynn Shaw, deputy manager of Bolton Victim Support says good relationships between organisations means the needs of victims in the area are better met.

"We do work closely with the Royal Bolton Hospital. We do get referrals from certain departments and anyone aware of victim support does refer," she said.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said providing treatment is the first priority of doctors and nursing staff, but consideration is given to other issues.

"The accident and emergency staff's primary concern is the immediate health requirements of patients, however they are aware of the needs of victims of crime, especially of particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly," said the spokeswoman.

"The department displays posters for organisations such as Victim Support and if patients ask for information about reporting a crime or seeking support, our staff will explain how to find further advice."

When it comes to housing needs Mrs Shaw says she has found that most requests are met with understanding by Bolton Council.

"Each case obviously has to be taken on merit but cases when people haven't been rehoused are very few and far between," she said.

"In general the view is sympathetic."

Jon Lord, Bolton housing department's access and advice manager says the needs of crime victims are treated very seriously.

"Our re-housing policy clearly gives priority to people who have been victims of crime," he said.

People fleeing domestic violence or harassment can be re-housed immediately, sometimes even outside the borough, while others who may feel vulnerable in their homes following a crime are given support and help with moving.

But Mrs Shaw says that generally she would like to see the needs of victims put higher up the agenda by all organisations, and more official guidelines drawn up for the treatment of crime victims rather than relying on goodwill.

"We continue to work really hard to support victims. We can never do enough to support the victims of crime," she said.

Victim factfile

In 2000 nearly 13 million crimes were committed against adults living in England and Wales.

The criminal justice system deals with only 3pc of all crimes.

Nationally only 12pc of property crimes are detected and less than one in three violent crimes.

In 25pc of all burglaries victims were at home and unaware of what was happening but in a further 26pc the victims knew what was happening.

The 1998 British Crime Survey revealed that almost one in five UK households does not have home contents insurance.

The British Crime Survey shows that less than half of all crime is reported to the police.