Chilean dignitaries visit Victim Support
Published: 07 November 2012
- Date:
- 07 November 2012
Chilean dignitaries: Gonzalo Fuenzalida (left) with Gonzalo Diaz Del Rio
Chilean dignitaries working in criminal justice spent time with Victim Support in London yesterday (Tuesday 6 November).
Gonzalo Fuenzalida, Head of the Victim Assistance Unit of the Under-Secretariat of Crime Prevention and Gonzalo Diaz Del Rio, Regional Director for Public Safety of the Metropolitan Region in Santiago, Chile visited Victim Support to find out about how our charity works and the difference it makes to victims and witnesses of crime.
The Chilean government set up a Victim Support department in Chile in 2008, supporting 30,000 victims per year. The Chile Victims' Unit provides similar support to Victim Support in England and Wales, but with a greater emphasis on legal support and the use of psychotherapists. The visitors were particularly impressed to hear about our use of volunteers and about our witness facilities.
The dignitaries spent the day visiting Victim Support's central London base, our London victim care team, Supportline office and the Witness Service at the Inner London Crown Court to learn about our structure and the types of services we offer to victims and witnesses of crime.
Susannah Hancock, Victim Support's Assistant Chief Executive, spoke with them about the different approaches to supporting victims of crime and the challenges of operating within different criminal justice processes.
Chris Wade, Head of Volunteering said: "The Chilean unit had heard of our reputation and had been keen to see our work in person for some time. They took a lot of ideas away – as did we."