Violent crime is the basic food for all politicians' and government rhetoric and the cause for large government spending. Yet the real-life core needs and respect owed to people affected by violent crime are, at best, trivialised in Britain. Within this status quo, where you live and the colour of your skin will, and still does, have a significant bearing upon how you will be treated within a prejudiced service lottery.

In reality, people affected are left to sink or swim! And too many people do sink into chronic post traumatic stress disorders, isolation from a social life, stigma, detachment from themselves and from a life they once had, or worse. Equal access to justice, like that afforded to alleged violent criminals, is very expensive and hard to secure in Britain.

Tragically there is no genuine cohesive independent political lobby that effectively represents, in a bold manner, the unmet challenges of crime victims and witnesses Historically this has been fostered by a passive and fragmented crime victim lobby, which has resulted in a failure to bring together victims' needs and politicise the growing complex needs of people affected by violence. It is also about how we want to care for each other in society. See section ‘caution!’ the victim club.

People trying to survive violent crime stand alone and almost outcast, even from their families, and yet crime is increasing and touches so many people. We remain one of the wealthiest nations but continue to refuse to provide realistic compensation and resources for those genuinely affected by violent crime. Let us witness the new government policies and service delivery provides genuine dynamic changes.