Crime has no boundaries nor any respect for human dignity. Victim Support Services are important to assist and support victims of crime to help them out overcoming their traumatic experiences while seeking justice.

In addition to the work carried out by the Police Victim Support Unit, in 2021, the Victim Support Agency (VSA) was established as a multidisciplinary agency made up of public officers such as members from the police victim support and members from the department of probation and parole, alongside administrative officers, legal and psycho-social professionals.

Independent from the Court of Justice, the VSA directly supports victims by providing free assistance in a strictly confidential manner while advocating for victims’ rights on a national level.

“The VSA is committed towards filling a gap in services for the most vulnerable,” explains Chairperson Brian Farrugia. “Victims of crime need a voice, someone to understand and support them through difficult times.”

He says that over the past year all the professionals on board have dealt with sensitive situations and done their utmost to help each service user without any delay, adding however that the agency is still in its infancy: “We are still investing in our internal capacity and operating with financial constraints, but these are normal challenges for a new organisation like this.”

The Victim Support Agency team

One of the key investments being undertaken by the VSA is in regional centres, with the aim of being closer to service users.

“Our central head office in Valletta is well-equipped to provide for victim support,” he says, “but we firmly believe in reaching out to victims, to help them feel safe, process their traumatic experiences and restore their former quality of life. Being closer to their homes confirms our commitment towards service users.”

Among the services the VSA provides is notifying victims of their aggressors’ release from custody. “This is only given upon consent by the victim,” explains Mr Farrugia, “and aimed at preparing the victim in advance to avoid any unexpected shocks if they meet up with the aggressor.”

Victims of crime can approach the VSA for things like emotional support even if they have not filed a police report.

The Victim Support Agency deals with different victims suffering from different types of offences, with statistics showing that the majority are victims of domestic violence, both women and men.

This is followed up by victims of theft and victims of fraud, in particularly romantic fraud.

Towards the end of 2021 and the beginning of this year, Mr Farrugia says the Agency has seen an increase in online hate speech on a wider scale than ever.

Asked about the steps taken to ensure victims’ safety, especially when these form part of marginalised or vulnerable groups, Mr Farrugia said that the VSA collaborates with other Government and non-government organisations “covering for any crime and any age”.

The nature of the job means that the team sometimes comes face to face with harrowing experiences.

“On one occasion,” relates Mr Farrugia, “we came across financial abuse on the elderly by their own relatives. On other occasions, we’ve seen children being mistreated. Certain cases are not easy to follow…”

Despite the challenges the VSA faces, he is proud to be of assistance to victims. “This is the greatest satisfaction of all those working in this sector,” he says.

Mr Farrugia previously served for three years as Director of the Asset Recovery Bureau, and says the role taught him some important lessons about working with different disciplines to effect change.

“Working in the public service and then in the public sector made me realise the importance of moving away from the so-called ‘SILO’ mentality and work with different discipline while always preparing for sustainable future based on realistic targets.”

He also says that the human factor plays an important part in determining the success of an entity, striving to lead with respect and avoid unnecessary confrontation on the place of work.

Asked about the next steps for the Agency, Mr Farrugia say it is now looking to strengthen cooperation with both the public and the private sector.

“Our intent is to continue with the establishment of more regional centres, increase our staff capacity and continue to promote a multidisciplinary, multiagency approach to maintain the holistic wellbeing of victims whilst ensuring continuity of support services to victims of crime,” he concludes.