Victim support charity to raise awareness in Fife of valuable support

Victim Support Scotland is working with Police Scotland and other organisations to inform people about the free information and support it provides, helping victims and witnesses navigate the criminal justice system and cope with the associated trauma. More than 2069 people in Central Scotland and Fife were referred to the charity in the past year.

Since 2018, Police Scotland has been unable to automatically refer victims and witnesses of crime to receive the support they are entitled to.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said victims of crime can be affected “emotionally, mentally, physically, financially and practically” and that having the right information is “critical”.

She continued: “In Scotland, anyone affected by crime has a right to support and information, regardless of whether the crime was reported to the police or not. While not everyone affected by crime will want to exercise these rights, we are worried about the gap between the number of crimes recorded and the number of people seeking support.

“By working closely with Police Scotland, victim support organisations and directly with victims, we hope to raise more awareness of victims’ rights and reach more people in the year ahead. We want everyone to know that if they or someone they know is affected by crime, Victim Support Scotland can help.”

Faroque Hussain, chief superintendent at Police Scotland, said the force “would always encourage anyone who has been the victim of crime or who is a witness to crime, to seek the support of Victim Support Scotland.”

He added: “We understand how distressing it is when someone is a victim of crime, and we are here to support you. We will provide you with a victim care card which will include the name of the officer dealing with your case and information about your rights including access to support services. If you want us to refer you directly then we can do that.

“Police Scotland is committed to supporting victims and survivors and will ensure you are kept updated on the progress of your case.”