About us
- Who are we?
- Who do we support?
- Are we confidential?
- Are we part of the police?
- How can you get in touch with us?
- What happens when you contact us?
Who are we?
We are Victim Support, a charity for anyone affected by crime. We have offices all over the country and help over a million people every year. Thousands of people work for us as volunteers in their spare time.
You can find out more about us on our national website at: www.victimsupport.org.uk.
Who do we support?
We give free support to victims and witnesses of crime, and their family and friends.
Our volunteers are trained to make sure that if you are affected by crime you can get the information, help and support you need.
Our Witness Service has volunteers who are trained to support you if you have to go to court as a witness.
Are we confidential?
We respect your right to contact us in private. We will not pass on what you say to anyone else without your permission, unless you or somebody else is at risk of harm and even then we wouldn't do anything without talking to you first.
Are we part of the police?
We are independent - we are not part of the police or government. You do not have to report the crime to the police to come to us. That's up to you.
How can you get in touch with us?
You can choose how you contact Victim Support.
Get in touch with your local office
We have local branches all over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Find out where your local office is and contact us.
Phone our national Supportline
If you prefer, you can contact the national Victim Supportline on 0845 30 30 900 (local call rate) to talk to someone. The lines are open 9 am - 9 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 9 am - 7 pm at weekends. If you would like to talk to someone outside Supportline hours, you might like to contact ChildLine on 0800 1111.
You can also email us at supportline@victimsupport.org.uk.
What happens when you contact us?
When you first contact your local Victim Support office
When you call, you will speak to a member of staff who will ask about what has happened and what sort of help you would like from Victim Support. They will ask for your name, address and phone number - but you do not have to give them these details if you do not want to.
If you need more help and support, they will ask a trained volunteer to contact you to discuss your situation and arrange to meet you to talk.
We can help you whether you decide to report a crime to the police or not. If you do decide to tell the police what happened to you, your Victim Support worker can arrange to be with you when you meet the police officer. They can also help you to talk to other people, like a parent or a teacher if you are finding it difficult.
When you contact the Supportline
When you call you will speak to a trained volunteer. You do not have to give your name, or tell them where you are calling from, unless you want to.
The volunteer will listen to you and give you information if you need it. If you want more help, they will be able to put you in touch with your local Victim Support office.
When you call the Victim Supportline, the number will appear on your phone bill. If someone else will see your phone bill and you don't want them to know you've phoned the Supportline, you may prefer to use a public telephone box.
Read some true stories from people who have got help from us.