Marking the 16 Days of Action
To mark the start of the 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence, Graeme recently paid a visit to Victim Support Angus to discuss action against such violence and raise awareness of the support available.
Victim Support Angus is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing help, guidance and support to victims of criminal offences. They provide such assistance across a broad range of areas, including to people who have faced domestic violence, sexual assault or hate crimes.
Taking a collaborative approach, they work in conjunction with the criminal justice sector, local agencies and the third sector. They also enable victims to share their stories, raising awareness on these issues in the local community.
The team has had to deal with cases relating to vandalism, housebreaking and assaults, through to rape and child abuse. A large part of the staff at Victim Support Angus are volunteers, and therefore give up their own time to further its mission.
The organisation also leads various research and policy work – all based on the idea that victims should be at the centre of the discussion, and that their dignity should always be enhanced.
Graeme visited Victim Support Angus at their Arbroath office, where he spoke with Support Coordinator Audrey McDonald and volunteer Barbara Rose.
– Graeme
I was very pleased to meet with Audrey McDonald and some of the team at Victim Support Angus.
The discussion was extremely eye-opening and insightful; it was very encouraging to hear of the work they are doing to support the local community and provide help and guidance to those needing it the most.
Victim Support Angus is made up of volunteers that strive every day to provide assistance to distressed victims. Their job is difficult, and yet they provide this invaluable support to both victims and witnesses that find themselves emotionally and physically distressed.
While it is afflicting to hear of the suffering some people have gone through, it is heartening to see the power such a non-profit organisation has to make a difference in the lives of the local community.
– Support Coordinator at Victim Support Angus, Audrey McDonald
It was really nice to meet with local MSP Graeme Dey.
Mr Dey was very interested to hear about the good work that we do supporting victims, witnesses and anyone affected by crime.
Crime at any level can impact individuals in many ways, and we tailor the support to the individual needs.
Our support is free and confidential.
