Support a victim of crime

Victimization affects the whole community. We need to work together to:

• create a circle of safety and respect and
• reduce the tolerance for violence.

Every victim

• Has their own unique experience of a crime.
• They also have different ways of responding and coping.

As a support person

• You just need to be present for the victim.
• You’ll have to be patient as they work through their emotions.

How you can support a victim

• Tell them you believe them and will be there to support them.
• Tell them the crime was not their fault.
• Understand their desire not to talk about things; this is a normal reaction.
• Ask them: What do you need?
• Encourage the victim to seek support and counselling. They don’t have to report a crime to get support.
• Go with them:
  • to medical appointments;
  • if they report to the police; or
  • to court.
• Help them learn about their options.

Take care of yourself

Give yourself time to process what’s happened. If you need support or information, contact Victim Services. We can help:

• you understand how you can support someone; and
• how you can get support for yourself.

Resources

• Find resources for victims of crime
• Get an order to keep someone away from you
• Find support for families of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls
• Get support for child victims of crime
• Get emergency financial help for a victim of crime
• Find out about the court process