Victims in Wiltshire told they don’t need to report to get support
It's part of a campaign being run by the Office of Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner
Support services have been given a share of £4.5m to bolster support on offer for victims, who are being told they don’t need to report a crime to access help.
It’s part of a campaign by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner which is focussing on ensuring a broad range of support services are available to victims of all types of crime.
Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson made supporting victims when they’re most vulnerable a key priority in his Police and Crime Plan.
A victim survey revealed that 40% of respondents felt they were not given details of support services after reporting an incident, with over a third saying that they wouldn’t have been aware of the services had they not reported a crime.
Temporary Detective Superintendent Guy Elkins, Head of Crime Standards and Justice said: “We are committed to providing the highest levels of service to victims.
“We know that not everyone feels comfortable reporting directly to the police, therefore these commissioned services are vital in providing additional support and guidance.
“We work closely with the OPCC’s office and the support services highlighted in this campaign.
Victims’ services commissioned and funded by the OPCC include:
• Grants to Wiltshire’s Horizon service, which supports victims and provides restorative justice services.
• Funding allocated to Splash, which supports children who have been victims of crime.
• Funding to provide Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) to help support victims.
• Funding to provide refuge and safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
• Funding allocated to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, which supports victims of serious sexual offences without having to have a police referral.