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

British Association of Social Work - Professional Social Work Issue, April 2005

Simon Duckett has written a very informative guide and manual for survivors of violent crime, their families and professionals. Simon makes excellent use of his experience as a professional in social care services and as a survivor of violent crime, to research and combine useful factual information with really helpful, practical tips for survivors and those around them.

Even if you are not directly dealing with the aftermath of violent crime, much of the information about the impact of crime and bereavement would be of interest. There is a lot of information in the book about organisations, systems and processes which are presented clearly and accessibly. This is then balanced with chapters on the human impact and response of being in this sort of situation, and how to take care of oneself and live with others around you. I could think of many work situations when this would have been a useful reference book to have in the office, and when I could have shared all or parts of the book with service users and their families. The short chapters, diagrams and charts are all useful in making the book very versatile in its use.

I would strongly recommend social workers to have this book as a reference guide, for even if you do not expect to deal with violent crime, the information in the book and references to organisations is of much wider interest particularly to all who are living with the aftermath of, and / or unexpected bereavement situations.

Care and Health, April 2003

This handbook, published by Simon Duckett, is aimed both at those who have experienced violent crime and police. This unusual interesting publication should also be of use to social care staff working with victims and offenders. It explains, in a very accessible way,the process, procedures and issues facing those who have experienced violent crime, laying out what victims should expect to happen, the support they should receive, and the emotions which they are likely to experience.

A second section covers legal issues,and there is comprehensive directory of useful organisations. Although the author is primarily concerned to ensure that the police take the matter seriously and respond effectively, the guidance and insights presented have a much wider relevence.This is remarkable handbook.