Vandalism

Following vandalism to your property you may experience:

• A fear of leaving the house
• Feeling unsafe
• Flashbacks to the incident
• Nightmares
• A sense of being overwhelmed
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Financial loss

These reactions may affect your daily life, but it’s important to remember that all of these reactions are normal, and this is not your fault. Only the perpetrator is to blame for their behaviour.

Victim Support Scotland can provide personalised support and information to you and your friends and family who might also be affected by vandalism. You don’t need to report the crime to receive our help.

First and foremost, we will listen to you and allow you the time to talk about your experiences. We will provide you with a trained supporter who has experience dealing with such cases and who can offer nonjudgmental support and information. Our aim is to help you feel safer and emotionally stronger as well as better informed of your rights.

We can also provide practical help. We can help you to feel safe in your home, ensuring that you have taken appropriate steps to make it secure. We may be able to help you to access funds if you are in urgent need immediately following a crime.

We may put you in touch with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland. Joining a neighbourhood watch group might help you feel safer in your home because your neighbours working together to keep your local community safe. Neighbourhood watch members may have similar concerns about safety in your community and might support you after your experiences.

If you or someone you care about has been affected by vandalism, please know that you are not alone. Whoever you are, whatever the situation and whenever the crime took place, we can help you.

You can access our services regardless of whether you have reported the crime or not to the police. Our services are free, independent and confidential.*

*We will only alert someone else if we feel you are at risk to yourself or to others.