Daniel's story - getting involved
Victim Support helped Daniel, the victim of an assault. Daniel says:
"When I was fifteen I was assaulted. Afterwards, I wouldn’t go out on my own - I was scared of seeing the offender again. Even now, a few years on, I’m still more wary of people I don’t know, and perhaps a harsher judge of character. For a while I was depressed and found it harder to make new friends.
"I just wanted closure. I was let down by the CPS, but Victim Support helped me to move on with my life. As well as supporting me they helped me get involved in questionnaires and a pilot scheme which looked into new ways to get teenagers off the streets and into creative workshops. It also aimed to reduce bullying in schools and increase awareness about the effects of knife crime. I travelled to take part in a meeting with lots of people, giving details about my own experiences and making suggestions. By being involved in these things, I feel that I’ve been able to get something positive out of a really negative experience. I feel it made a difference, even if a small one.
"If you've been a victim of crime, I would recommend contacting Victim Support if they haven't already called you. They can give you support, and can help you through the legal and compensation processes. They helped me."
Contact
your local office,
call Victim Supportline on 0845 30 30 900 or email us at
supportline@victimsupport.org.uk