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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence publishes the Sixth Annual Report of the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime for 2011
Mr Alan Shatter, T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence today published the sixth Annual Report of the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime for the year 2011. The Commission has been disbursing funds since 2005 to organisations engaged in supporting victims of crime.
In launching the report the Minister said, “At a time of great challenge I commend the voluntary organisations funded by the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime, in increasing the number of victims assisted in 2011. Every day, these organisations provide information and support to victims in the aftermath of a crime and do invaluable work in assisting people in overcoming traumatic situations. In doing so they demonstrate what can be achieved by employees and trained volunteers working well together.”
In 2011, €1,205,684 was allocated to 46 voluntary organisations. These voluntary bodies provided services and assistance to 13,874 victims of crime. This represents an increase of 14% over the number of victims helped in 2010. Commission funding includes support for the national Crime Victims Helpline (116 006) as a central point of contact for all victims of crime. Other funded organisations provide court accompaniment services, emotional support, counselling and information to victims of domestic violence, sexual crimes, homicide, child victims, and victims of general crime. Services are provided by 24 full time equivalent employees of the funded organisations in conjunction with almost 500 volunteers.
The Commission organised and hosted two meetings of the Victims of Crime Consultative Forum in 2011. The meetings looked at how the sector can organise itself more closely together so that services are delivered more effectively for and with victims. The organisations also had the opportunity to give their views on the contents of the proposed victim’s legislation, to those drafting the legislation.
The Commission’s Annual Report, 2011 is available on the Commission's website (http://www.csvc.ie/en/CSVC/Pages/Publications).