An organisation that plays an important role in supporting vulnerable members of the community has celebrated a significant milestone.
Victim Support Isle of Man, which offers free and confidential help to victims and witnesses of crime, marked its 15th anniversary during its recent annual general meeting.
Delivering her annual report, Manager Paula Gelling said the charity remains committed to its vision of providing people with the best possible service at what is often the worst time of their lives.
She revealed that during its 15 years, Victim Support Isle of Man has helped around 2,200 victims of crime and provided assistance with more than 300 claims for criminal injury compensation. Records show it has also supported 1,380 witnesses since 2006.
While the Isle of Man is widely recognised as one of the safest places to live in the British Isles, the meeting heard that there is still a strong demand for the charity’s services.
Miss Gelling gave an overview of Victim Support Isle of Man’s activities, which include providing information, practical advice and emotional support to people of all ages.
She said the Douglas-based charity dealt with 195 new referrals during 2013-14, an increase of 26 on the previous year’s total of 169. Its dedicated team of volunteers also assisted 144 witnesses (208 in 2012-13) involved in 30 trials and hearings (31 in 2012-13).
The charity is not part of government, the police or criminal justice system, but works closely with all agencies to contribute to the national priority of protecting vulnerable people. The bulk of its work remains focused on supporting victims of physical and sexual assaults, domestic abuse and those affected by fatal road traffic collisions.
Paula Gelling said:
‘While the Isle of Man Constabulary continues to do a fantastic job in driving down the Island’s crime rate, Victim Support is as busy as ever. Our workload has remained fairly constant over the past decade and we must be prepared for evolving demands on our services in the months and years ahead.’
The charity has appealed for more volunteers and financial support to ensure it can continue to offer a high standard of service to those in need.
Victim Support receives an annual contribution from the Department of Home Affairs, but otherwise relies on its fundraising activities and donations from the public and corporate sponsors.
Miss Gelling said:
‘Fundraising is an uphill struggle. It is difficult to juggle our core client functions and associated administration work with making time available for effective fundraising. We don’t have a salaried fundraiser like some other charities. We are grateful for the financial backing provided by the Department of Home Affairs and also to our corporate sponsors and individual supporters.’
Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK has praised the charity’s contribution, saying:
‘Victim Support delivers a high-quality service to the local community, helping people when they are at their most vulnerable. The Department’s flagship Criminal Justice Strategy is placing even greater emphasis on the treatment of victims and witnesses and the charity is helping to drive forward this work.’
Home Affairs Chief Executive Officer Mark Kelly added:
‘I was delighted to attend the annual general meeting of Victim Support and recognise the achievements of the charity over the past 15 years. It plays a very important role in supporting individuals to cope with their experience of the criminal justice system, which accords directly with the aims of my Department in this regard.’
