Families of knife crime victims speak out to call for change
Three people who have lost a family member to knife crime have shared their stories and made a call for change in how knife crime is dealt with in Scotland.
Victim Support Scotland (VSS) and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) have launched a partnership aimed at enabling more people impacted by crime in Grampian to access support.
The organisations have established a new referral pathway that allows frontline ambulance staff to refer patients directly to Victim Support Scotland if they have been a victim of a crime. The new process enables SAS paramedics to refer a person to VSS in a faster, easier, and more streamlined manner.
The partnership is being trialled in the Grampian region before hopefully being rolled out to other areas in Scotland.
Victim Support Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for people affected by crime. It provides free, confidential, and trauma-informed support to victims, witnesses, and their families - regardless of the crime type, when it happened, or whether it was reported to the police. Anyone who has been a victim of crime can self-refer using Victim Support Scotland's online form, or by calling their helpline on 0800 160 1985.
Jacqueline Cassidy, Director of Service Delivery at Victim Support Scotland, said:
“This is an important partnership as we look to extend our support to as many people who have been impacted by crime as possible. There is often a crossover between people who receive ambulance treatment and who have been a victim of crime, so this connection will help ensure fewer people slip through the cracks in terms of accessing support. In particular, it will be an important route to support for people who have not reported a crime to the police.
“We are hopeful that this trial in Grampian will lead to a national partnership with Scottish Ambulance Service teams across Scotland. The impact of crime lasts long past the initial incident, and this partnership means that more people can receive the care and support they need to cope with the impact of crime and move on with their lives.”
Owen Williams, Pathways Programme Lead with the Scottish Ambulance Service, said:
“Our staff are often among the first people to support someone at a moment of crisis, and we know that the impact of crime can extend far beyond the initial incident. This partnership with Victim Support Scotland will help ensure that people in Grampian can be connected quickly and compassionately with specialist support when they need it most.”
