A History of Victim Support NI
1981
The first local Victim Support group is established in the Glengormley/Whiteabbey area. This pilot scheme was staffed by 7 volunteers and helped 50 people per year at a cost of £1000 per year. In the beginning, it only dealt with cases of burglary, and volunteers would call to victims’ homes in order to offer support. Initially, the RUC would not directly refer victims to the scheme.
1984
Victim Support open their first offices at Bryson House in Belfast
1985
In September 1985 the second Victim Support scheme opens in East Belfast (Willowfield/Mountpottinger).
The RUC start handing victims a letter with a prepaid envelope to inform them of the Victim Support schemes. It is estimated that 12% of burglary victims in Northern Ireland would have access to the scheme..
1987
The existing schemes are formally registered as ‘Northern Ireland Victims Support Scheme’
1988
There is a name change to ‘The Northern Ireland Federation of Victim Support Schemes’.
Oct 1989
Foyle Victim Support is launched at The Guildhall in Derry/Londonderry.
1991
By now, Victim Support in Northern Ireland is a federation of 7 local schemes with a regional office in Belfast which helps to establish new schemes and assists existing VS schemes. Volunteers visit victims in their homes, effectively cold-calling them using information about crimes which have been committed to see if they can offer any help.
Summer 1991
The Foyle VS relaunches after a staffing issue which prevented it properly getting off the ground in 1989. It expands into Coleraine to cover a larger area. The East Belfast scheme also expands to take in the South of the city.
Aug 1992
The regional office in Belfast moves to Annsgate House from the original Bryson House office in order to accommodate the growth of the organisation.
1993/94
The Ballymena scheme opens, bringing the total VS schemes in NI to 10. Funding is secured to hire a CEO, Training Officer and Administrator. The local schemes still largely deal with cases of burglary, which make up 78% of the business. The other main crimes dealt with were criminal damage at 13% and robbery at 4%.
1994/95
Three new schemes added in Erne, Strabane and North & West Belfast. 19 December 1994 – Victim Support holds a conference at Stranmillis college called ‘After the Ceasefires – A Victim Perspective’
1995/1996
By the end of this financial year, there are now 15 VS schemes operational in NI. A new pilot Witness Service has been established at Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast. The VS schemes begin to offer support to victims of violent crime.
1996
Name change to Victim Support Northern Ireland
1998/99
Victim Support NI is one of the organisations which helped with the aftermath of the Omagh bomb in partnership with the Sperrin Lakeland H&SC Trust. Over 400 victims of the tragedy were supported in the year following the bomb.
2000
The organisation undergoes a restructure, and consolidates to an 8 branch model with the aim of improving the consistency of service delivery.
A new pilot witness service scheme starts in Belfast and Newtownabbey Magistrates Courts and Coroners Court.
The Young Witness Service is launched by NSPCC to ensure children and young people can be supported at court. We begin a long-standing partnership with NSPCC to support victims and witnesses of all ages at court.
We begin offering a new service in Royal Victoria Hospital’s A&E department, approaching victims who have been injured as a result of crime in order to offer our support.
2001
Victim Support NI celebrates 20 years of supporting victims of crime in NI. We mark the Year of the Volunteer. The hospital service expands into the A&E at the Ulster Hospital.
2002
On 1 May 2002 the Criminal Injuries Compensation Service is launched to help people apply for the new tariff based government scheme which has just been introduced.
2002/2003
PSNI change the process for capturing consent from victims which leads to a significant drop in referrals to Victim Support NI.
2003/4
1 June 2004 – a pilot scheme launches in Laganside Magistrates Court, extending Witness Service support to witnesses attending this Magistrate Court.
2005/6
Following agreement with the PSNI on the consent issue, we experience our highest referrals to date, and offer support to 49,381 victims of crime. NIO agrees to extend Witness Service to all courts
2007
31 August – Witness Service launches to 20 Courts in NI. This includes Crown, Magistrates, Coroners and Youth and Appeal courts. September 2007 – NIO publish Strategy for Victims & Witnesses.
2007/8
Victim Support NI joins Victim Support Europe. 7 April 2008 – Foyle Office officially opens in Embassy Buildings.
2008/9
Approximately 150 volunteers across Northern Ireland contribute an average of 2800 hours per month. A large volunteer recognition event is held at Belfast Castle in December 2008
2009/10
Annual Volunteer and Staff Conference takes place at Galgorm Manor 8 Dec 2010
2011
To mark the 30th birthday, the organisation holds a conference and launches a website for the first time.
We receive the CIPR Pride Award for communications and PR work which led to a 46% increase in referrals, increase in take-up of the service by 32% and our most successful year to date
2012
May 2012 – a Victim Support NI team run the relay race in the Belfast Marathon to fundraise for the organisation.
September 2012 – staff hold a Spinathon fundraising event
December 2012 – 7 volunteers win awards at the Older Volunteers Awards held at Belfast City Hall: David Fullerton, William Beggs, Jean McMillen, Peggy Healy, Shelia Graham, Shelia Gallagher and Francis Duffy all pick up awards for their service.
The EU Directive on rights of victims and witnesses is adopted (Member states to have transposed legislation by Nov 2015)
2013
The Hate Crime Advocacy Scheme launches with Stamp Out Hate campaign and the appointment of a part-time Hate Crime Co-ordinator. Victim Personal Statements start to be used in courts from December of this year. Victim Support NI can support victims who wish to write one. Registered Intermediaries are introduced in a pilot scheme in courts in NI.
2014
The Victim Support NI volunteering team is awarded the Justice Champions award. One of our long-standing volunteers, Sheila Graham, receives MBE for services to victims. We celebrate Volunteer Week with an event at Ulster American Folk Park.
Victim Support NI launches a YouTube channel.
June 2014 – Unite Against Hate launches at the MAC November 2014 – We win a volunteering award at Justice in the Community Awards at Parliament Building
Jan 2015
The Victim Charter NI is launched, protecting the rights of victims of crime in legislation. Due to austerity cuts, the organisation is again restructured and moves to a two hub model (Belfast/Foyle) for our community based services in order to respond to reduced funding.
2016
February – we partner with the Housing Executive to provide appointment spaces in Newry and Bangor.
June 2016 – we celebrate the organisation’s 35th birthday with a celebration at Corrick House.
July 2016 – the new Foyle Hub opens
September 2016 – we launch the first Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) service in Northern Ireland, providing specialist advocacy support to victims of sexual violence.
October 2016 – In order to better serve our clients we move offices from Annsgate House to Albany House.
2017
January 2017 – NI Assembly collapses
February 2017 – we launch a new redesigned website which holds up to date, appropriate information about our services, victim rights and support services available in Northern Ireland.
May 2017 – we help organise the Victim Support Europe conference in Dublin.
June 2017 – we receive recognition for the training and dedication we give to our volunteers by receiving the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ award and quality standard.
Sept 2017 – we take over the running of the Aggression Related Trauma (ART) project.
Feb 2018 – we launch our first TV ad campaign, which is accompanied by radio advertising and a poster campaign on buses across NI.
Feb 2018 – we hold an Open Space event in the Europa Hotel, Belfast.
We launch a new ‘Victims Journey’ section of our website in order to explain from a victim perspective what can happen from the moment you report a crime right through the police investigation and the journey through court.
Our Volunteer Week event is held at Glenavon Hotel with our volunteers being invited to ask questions to BBC Radio Ulster’s Gardeners Corner
2018
May 2018 – The Gillen consultation and review into the way sexual offences are dealt with by courts in NI launches. The report is published in Nov 2018.
June 2018 – We confirm our registration with the new Charity Commission of NI.
We launch our 360 Virtual Courtrooms online – this allows victims and witnesses to virtually visit courts in Northern Ireland using 360 degree photography technology. This familiarisation tool can help take away some of the fear witnesses experience before they visit court.
We begin the Court Observer project, during which volunteers with no previous experience of the criminal justice field observe rape trials over the course of a year.
We hold our AGM event at the Harbour Commissioners building in Belfast, featuring Sir John Gillen.
2019/20
We are involved with the Hate Crime Review led by Judge Marrinan
April 2019 – We begin to offer support to children affected by serious sexual crime with the introduction of our ChISVA service
2020
Feb 2020 – Conference at Dunsilly Hotel – Gillen:
Where Are We Now?
March 2020 – COVID 19 PANDEMIC hits UK. We successfully transition all support available to victims to an online and phone service model. Our Witness Service staff are seconded to help out our Community Service whilst courts remain closed
April 2020 – We expand our Community Service to provide one to one support to children and young people who have experienced crime.
2021
January 2021 – we publish the Court Observer Research Report ‘Bearing Witness’.
April 2021 – For the first time victims of sexual violence can access independent legal advice and support as our SOLA scheme launches.
May 2021 – Victim Support NI CEO Geraldine Hanna is appointed President of the Board of Victim Support Europe
Nov 2021 – 40th celebrations – We launch the Victim Recovery research at our AGM event held to mark our 40th birthday. Volunteers and staff hold small group events, as we are unable to celebrate together due to COVID restrictions.
*If you have any photos of Victim Support NI staff, events or publicity that you would like to share with us, please get in touch at info@victimsupportni.org.uk