Officium - domestic violence, support for abuse victims, criminal justice, support for victims of violent crimes, crime victim rights, crime victim advocacy, criminal injury compensation, personal injury, victim support

domestic violence, support for abuse victims, criminal justice, support for victims of violent crimes, crime victim rights, crime victim advocacy, criminal injury compensation, personal injury, victim supportMy handbook aims to direct people affected by violent crime to all that is best and known from my research and experience. It encourages people to strive to be assertive and not trapped and typecast living as permanent ‘victims’. domestic violence, support for abuse victims, criminal justice, support for victims of violent crimes, crime victim rights, crime victim advocacy, criminal injury compensation, personal injury, victim support It covers matters like trauma, death, disability, the media, the police, going to court and services. It explains how to confidently seek help and if necessary how to pursue a formal complaint. This handbook will be periodically revised to remain up to date with policy, legal and community changes and to include or exclude agencies. It explains the complex, expensive, often degrading and drawn-out CICA compensation process combining easy references and directory listings for selecting the best experts of trauma specialists and solicitors across England, Scotland and Wales. It has three main areas 1) the personal survivor needs, 2) the complex legal CICA process and compensation issues and 3) social / government policy, why, as a wealthy nation we treat victims as we do, and suggest community and national empowerment proposals for the future like setting-up small and regional groups. This handbook aims to break and confront the anguished silent isolation a survivor of violent crime is often placed in by institutions, and an ambivalent society. An inclusive guide has never been achieved before. Others have written with a minimal cluster of précised points and telephone numbers, or a detached often academic perspective, or kept the obvious and common sense parts of a person’s life fragmented - never treating a person as a whole. Instead, referring to people’s needs like shattered glass keeping inter-connected parts of a person’s life isolated. This handbook weaves current political, policy and social issues affecting us all as citizens - especially people affected by violent crime. It is about the important obvious common sense matters people need to know that makes this handbook inclusive. This is a small contribution to the huge struggle for justice domestic violence, support for abuse victims, criminal justice, support for victims of violent crimes, crime victim rights, crime victim advocacy, criminal injury compensation, personal injury, victim supportdomestic violence, support for abuse victims, criminal justice, support for victims of violent crimes, crime victim rights, crime victim advocacy, criminal injury compensation, personal injury, victim support

The Tempest

If you need urgent help because of violent crime, or know someone who does, the following suggestions are worth considering:

If the incident has been, or is going to become immediately life-threatening, call the emergency services. If, your safety or some one else’s need and risk is life-threatening the emergency services would expect to respond to the life-threatening crisis due to the danger.

If, the situation is not immediately life-threatening, but remains a violent and seriously threatening situation contact your police station and explain what is happening. If, the violent crime has left you with injuries go to a GP or a hospital and ask to report the incident as a violent crime as soon as you can. If you suffer abuse, it may be safer for you to contact the police and arrange for them to come and remove you.

Once you are in a place of safety ask a police officer if they believe if being assessed by social services, and or, a psychiatrist specialising in deep shock is going to benefit you. Equally, it is your right to request to be seen by a specialist. Agencies are not always aware that to be a crime victim involves the whole of your life – housing, child care, mental fear, protection from others. This is why seeing several agencies can be necessary because the consequences of being a crime victim may require more than seeing a doctor, or the police. This is what is meant by multi-agency involvement and will provide the best way out from a crisis.

For too many years, crime victims were not offered the specialist and expert multi-agency help that they deserved, and needed. Slowly, respect for the crime victim and their needs are starting to be recognized and dealt with better. Overdue changes by government are emerging for the better and moving away from ad hoc help from some times less than effective victim groups and the lack of quality choice.

If you need help now contact the police, tell a school teacher or a trusted friend to get you to a place with people where you will be safe.

Having someone competent, as an advocate, to speak or just quietly be with you, can be useful as you may feel that what is happening is like a blur or film. Ideally, it is best to have someone like a social worker or a police officer. Please see the section in my handbook about specialist meetings and the various agencies' duties to co-operate.