Victim Support is celebrating the European Day for Victims of Crime on Monday 22 February to raise awareness of victims’ rights across Europe.
Last year we offered support to 1.2 million people affected by crime in England and Wales. This European Victims’ Day, we want to spread the word that we are here to give victims the support they deserve, regardless of whether the crime has been reported or when it happened.
One of the people we’ve helped to recover from crime is Sofia, who suffered a fractured skull and damaged eye socket following an unprovoked violent assault. Sofia was hospitalised for four weeks, but with our help, she has been able to move forward.
Sofia says, “Victim Support helped me to rebuild my confidence and construct a positive outcome from an otherwise very traumatic and negative experience.”
What are victims’ rights?
75 million people fall victim to crime across Europe every year. The EU Directive on Victims of Crime came into force last November, to ensure that all victims of crime receive the same level of support and protection in Europe, regardless of where they live or where in the EU the crime took place.
In England and Wales, the Victims’ Code sets out key rights for victims of crime and the services that each criminal justice agency must provide, including the right to support, to be kept informed about the progress of your case, and to make a Victim Personal Statement.
At Victim Support, we support the introduction of a Victims’ Law that strengthens victims’ rights and is robustly enforced and monitored to ensure that all agencies put the needs of victims first.
Get involved
We need your help to reach more people affected by crime in England and Wales. Keep an eye out for our graphics on our Facebook and Twitter channels and spread the word that we’re here to support all victims of crime, using the hashtags #victimsrights and #EUvictimsday on Twitter.
Find out more about what’s happening across Europe on Victims’ Day and learn more about victims’ rights in this short video.