Charity to raise awareness on European Day for Victims of Crime

A charity which provides support services to victims of crime has revealed that the number of victims of crime accessing its service has increased by 27% in the past two years.

Victim Support at Court (V-SAC) provides court accompaniment services to victims and witnesses during criminal proceedings in the Criminal Courts of Justice, and District and Circuit Courts.  In 2018 the Charity began Phase 1 of a national expansion of its service.

The Charity will mark European Day for Victims of Crime on 22^nd February 2019 with a breakfast briefing for judges, DPP’s Office, Gardai, other support agencies and Courts Service personnel, setting out details of its service, it’s expansion plans and providing a networking opportunity for support agencies to come together.

V-SAC General Manager Dympna Kenny said: “There has been a significant increase in demand for services from victims of crime, not only as a result of our expansion into the regional courts, but also within the CCJ in Dublin. 

“We have seen a 27% increase since 2016.  In 2018, we provided assistance and support to 1365 victims and witnesses attending trials, sentencing hearings and appeals. Our volunteers have given over 1,200 days of their time and there were almost five and a half thousand individual contacts with victims.

“In hosting this event to mark European Day for Victims of Crime, V-SAC wants to heighten the national awareness of crime victims’ rights and the support services available to victims in Ireland, in line with the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2018. Our mission is to provide a safe and supportive environment for victims of crime, their families and witnesses while they attend court.  We want to ensure that no victim is left without support.

“V-SAC will be following Victim Support Europe’s 10 Day social media campaign in recognition of European Day for Victims of Crime, which will highlight specific victims’ rights on each day.  We encourage everyone to get involved and share the message from this campaign.

“We provide a free service that is dedicated solely to court accompaniment for victims of all types of crime, their families and prosecution witnesses while they attend court.  This is probably the most difficult thing for them to do at possibly the most difficult and traumatic time – when they have to go to court and face the person accused of doing harm to them or their loved one.  Most people are unaware that they are entitled to free support while they are attending court. We want to let people know that they are not alone and V-SAC is here to support for the duration of the legal proceedings. Our service is committed to making the court process less intimidating for victims and witnesses, giving them a safe space where they can be apart from the general public and a listening ear if they need it. “

Billy Baldwin received the V-SAC Outstanding Volunteer Award. This was based on excellent feedback given from staff, volunteers, service users and stakeholders. Billy went above and beyond what was expected in the role of the court accompaniment volunteer. Congratulations Billy!

Congratulations to Sara Murphy, V-SAC Volunteer Coordinator in the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ), who won the Volunteer Ireland award in the category of 2018 Volunteer Manager of the Year on Friday 7th December 2018. This is a tremendous achievement for Sara and V-SAC.

Sara’s profile and story can be seen by clicking the link below.

 

Volunteer Manager of the Year 2018

In 2019, Victim Support at Court (V-SAC) provided free and confidential support to 1,482 victims of crime, prosecution witnesses and their family/friends, an increase of 8% compared to 2018. This was mainly due to its recent expansion into the Eastern and South Eastern Circuit Courts. Countrywide support was provided for 629 trials/hearings, including pre-trial visits, sentencing, retrials and appeals, involving offences such as murder, manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and assault, among others. V-SAC’s 50+ trained volunteers gave 1,418 days of their own time to support victims of all types of crime. V-SAC staff and volunteers had 5,435 individual contacts with the victims, their friends and families and prosecution witnesses.

 

 

V-SAC featured in a number of papers recently. The articles highlighted V-SAC’s free service available to victims of crime, prosecution witnesses and their family and friends while they attend court. V-SAC are expanding into the Eastern and Southeastern Circuit Courts. Click on the links below for the full newspaper articles and radio interviews given.

 

https://www.nationalist.ie/news/home/328962/victim-support-group-is-expanding-its-services-to-courts-in-the-south-east.html

https://www.irishlegal.com/article/victim-support-charity-expanding-court-accompaniment-services

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/court-help-for-victims-of-crime-expanded-861484.html

https://www.tipperarystar.ie/news/home/329017/victim-support-group-expanding-its-south-east-services.html

https://kclr96fm.com/volunteers-sought-carlow-kilkenny-accompany-victims-court/

https://www.newsgroup.ie/volunteers-sought-to-support-victims-of-crime/