Part of government action during the coronavirus pandemic is to ensure help remains available for helplines across the UK to get funding boost to meet the growing demand.
The government has announced that victims of crime will have greater access to support during the coronavirus pandemic after a funding boost for charity helplines and online services.
Social distancing measures mean that some charities can no longer offer face-to-face support, and must transfer to mainly remote based services to provide victims with the practical and emotional help they need.
£600,000 will therefore be reallocated to services immediately, allowing helplines to stay open longer and employ more support workers to handle calls. It will also help fund the technology needed for other forms of contact such as video calls as well as a new online chat service and digital hub run by Victim Support.
Six organisations that together cover the whole of the United Kingdom will benefit from the funding, meaning victims of crimes, in particular sexual and domestic abuse, can still access this essential support.
Justice Minister, Alex Chalk MP, said: Now more than ever victims need to know that they are not alone, and despite this challenging period help will always be there.
This cash boost will ensure that these vital services, which so many rely on will continue to be available during this difficult time.
Victim Support Chief Executive Diana Fawcett: We welcome funding from the Ministry of Justice to expand our online support services to every region of England and Wales, during a period which will be very difficult for victims of crime.
Our message to victims is very clear. Our trained supporters are here to offer you free and confidential support. It doesn’t matter where you live, what type of crime you have experienced, when it happened, whether you want support in the day or at night, or if you have reported the crime to the police. Victim Support is here to support you.
Today’s 23 April 2020 move follows a50 per cent funding boost for rape support services which totals £32 million over the next 3 years for a range of services including tailored face-to-face support and counselling.
Alongside these measures, additional support is available to protect victims of domestic abuse during the coronavirus outbreak. The government recently published guidance on applying for domestic abuse injunctions remotely and we are boosting domestic abuse helplines and online support with an additional £2 million.
Charities across the UK will also benefit from a £750 million package of support, announced earlier this month by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, to ensure they can continue their vital work during the coronavirus outbreak
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