History
In 1972 a group of people in Bristol, including some members of the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (now NACRO) along with others from the police and probation service, decided that something needed to be done to help victims. They created the very first Victim Support project to find out more about how victims were affected by crime. As well as learning a lot about the problems victims faced, they realised that there was little or no help on offer.
In 1974, the very first Victim Support group was set up in Bristol. Other groups soon followed around the UK with local people deciding they needed to do something to help victims too. In 1979 all the groups around the country got together to create an ‘umbrella body’ – the National Association of Victims Support Schemes.
The Crown Court Witness Service which is funded by the Ministry of Justice was launched in 1994. The Witness Service gives help and information to people going to court.
In 2007, members of Victim Support from across England and Wales voted at an extraordinary general meeting to create a single national charity to replace the existing federation.
In 2008 all local charities merged to create one national organisation covering England and Wales.
In 2010-2011 it offered help to around 1.5 million victims and almost 268,000 witnesses.
The charity is a founding member of Victim Support Europe which was established in 1990.
Read more about this topic: Victim Support
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