• Specialist, tailored support to young people who have experienced crime as well as young victims affected by serious youth violence and gang associated crime in Hackney and Islington. We also provide workshops and outreach support sessions at local schools.
• Specialist support for vulnerable victims of domestic and sexual violence in the City of London. We work closely with the Public Protection Unit to support victims with the help they need.
• Risk screening for victims of domestic abuse to ensure they are fully supported in Camden, in partnership with Camden Safety Net.
• We also run specialist services in most of the boroughs we work in, providing vital support to residents experiencing antisocial behaviour (ASB).

One of the people we’ve helped to cope is Mine* who has experienced antisocial behaviour.

Mine was referred to Victim Support (VS) by the police after she was threatened with a knife when confronting youths smoking drugs in a communal area of her home address.

The group were constantly harassing her every time she went out and Mine’s 11 year old brother was also affected by the incident. After initial discussions with Victim Support, Mine requested advocacy with the council, her housing officer and the police as well as emotional support to help her overcome the effects of the incident.

Working with Victim Support, Mine received assistance from the special protection scheme for her home address. For immediate reassurance, Mine’s Victim Support caseworker also provided a personal alarm to her and her brother. The Victim Support caseworker made regular contact with Mine, as well as emailing relevant involved parties, such as the police and her housing officer to ensure that Mine’s housing transfer progressed quickly. This was especially important as Mine raised her fears that further incidents with the gang might occur. Through effective joint working with the Haringey antisocial behaviour team, the Victim Support caseworker was able to ensure that Mine’s case was discussed at a Haringey panel meeting far more quickly than expected.

The harassment from the gang also had an emotional impact on Mine and her brother so the caseworker encouraged her to get in touch with her GP for counselling as well as calling her regularly to provide emotional support. Mine advised that as a result of VS involvement, she has felt more comfortable and much safer.

While receiving support, Mine also expressed concerned in the change in behaviour of her younger brother and that she feared he may get involved in gang activity. As a result, the caseworker made a referral to social services and continued to liaise with them. Mine was also encouraged by the caseworker to get in touch with her brother’s school and inform them of her concerns. Following this, Mine started to work with the school and this had a positive impact on her own outlook. For additional support around Mine’s concerns on possible gang affiliation the caseworker referred her brother to Safer London for more specialised help.

Find out more about some of the services and organisations we work with:

• Help on Your Doorstep
  A charity working to improve health and wellbeing in Islington
• Solace Women’s Aid
  Solace run north London Rape Crisis and advice and advocacy services for victims of domestic and sexual violence across a number of north London boroughs including Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington
• Nia
  Nia run services aimed at ending violence against women and girls
• Partners
  Partners works in partnership with the London Borough of Islington, Partners is an organisation set up specially to operate the private finance initiative (PFI) projects in Islington.
• Capsticks
  A law firm specialising in health and social care and social housing