"Helping people to cope with the effects of crime"

Monday 12 April 2021

Bailiwick Express' charity partner for 2021, the Bailiwick of Guernsey Victim Support & Witness Service, shines a light on some of the support it can provide to victims of crime.

"In our first article we provided an overview of how our organisation helps Bailiwick residents who have been affected by crime. In this article we shine the spotlight on Victim Support.

M’s story:

M is a 34-year-old nurse. He is married and has a six-year-old son. M enjoys spending time with his family and friends and he used to play rugby for the island side.

Since he was a teenager, M has been taking prescribed medication for anxiety and low mood.  He has never told anyone that he was sexually abused by his uncle when he was just a child.  His son is almost 7, the same age as M at the time of the abuse. M’s anxiety is getting worse.  He has stopped playing rugby as he is frightened of leaving his son, and his marriage is under strain as he becomes more closed off in his relationship.

M has seen our Facebook page and an article about supporting survivors of childhood sexual abuse. 

We are Victim Support and we can help M. 

D’s story:

D is a 68-year-old retired businessman. He lives alone following the death of his wife eight months ago and he has taken comfort in working in his garden.

D’s garden has been the target of criminal damage three times in the last month. He now feels unsafe in his own home and frustrated that he is unable to deal with the problem himself.  

D has reported the damage to the police who are supporting him. They have asked permission to pass on his details to Victim Support.

We are Victim Support and we can help D. 

"We help people cope with the effects of crime"

Our vision is to ensure that victims of crime have access to support of the highest standard. We can provide emotional support, practical help and information to Bailiwick residents who have been victims of any type of crime, regardless of whether or not they choose to report the crime and regardless of how long ago it happened.

We can provide that same service to families, colleagues and friends of victims, as they are often affected too. 

We are not professional counsellors, but our staff and volunteers can provide invaluable support to those in need.

We help people cope with the effects of crime, we listen while they talk through their feelings and reactions to the crime and we try to help them find the way that best suits them to work through their emotions.

We can also provide practical support where needed. This may take the form of accompanying clients to meetings with police, crime reduction officers and advocates or to GP and hospital appointments. We also refer clients to other agencies if required.

If a client chooses to report the crime and is later required to give evidence in court, we can also support them before, during and after the trial. 

If you need us, please take that brave step and call us.

We have 25 volunteers who are available to offer you support at a time and venue where you will be most comfortable. 

If you would like to access Victim Support, please call us on 01481 223000, or visit our website www.victimsupport.gg or email us at victimsupportgsy@cwgsy.net"