Partnership for Victims Project
September 2007 - March 2008
Funded by the Home Office Victims of Crime Fund
What support is available in the peninsula for people who've been affected by phobic crime? What kind of support should there be? If there are gaps in services, are they worse for victims of phobic crime than for victims of other kinds of crime? How should any gaps be filled?
We've been funded by the Home Office Victims of Crime Fund to map the local services for victims of phobic crime across the peninsula, identify any gaps, and draw up a business plan on the basis that services need to be appropriate, securely sustainable, and accessible to those in need.
The existing Community Helplines at the centre of the project
There are about eight community-led LGB/T helplines in the peninsula, and they are at the core of this project. We have only been at work for a few weeks, but we have already found the services they are providing are vital, and need to be secured and made sustainable.
Other stakeholders
As well as the LGB/T helplines, we are setting up links with the Criminal Justice System (especially police, Crown Prosecution Service, Witness Care Units, Courts Service and Probation), with voluntary and community sector providers (such as Victim Support and the Witness Service), and with local government. All these are, or ought to be, key stakeholders in the South West's community services for victims of phobic crime.
What are we working towards?
We hope the final outcomes of the project will be:
- Good practice standards and practical guidelines, made available on the Home Office website for national use
- A strong and sustainable community-led LGB/T voluntary sector, working in an effective partnership with public authorities
- A better deal for victims of this form of hate-crime, and...
- more reporting of such crimes, leading to more successful prosecutions, which will act as a deterrent.
Make Your Voice Heard?
If you would like to have your say about services for victims of phobic crime, please get in touch! The best way is to e-mail Office (at) intercomtrust.org.uk; or phone us on 01392 20 10 15 and ask for Shirley or Michael.
If you have been affected by phobic crime (for instance, harassment, threatening words or behaviour, bullying, verbal abuse, or physical attacks on you or people in your family, or on your property) do contact Intercom's own Helpline and Advocacy team, or another local Helpline. Whoever you contact, they will listen positively and respectfully; they may have useful information for you; and they may actually be able to help. Talk to us.