Commissioner wants to hear victims’ voices

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire is calling on people who have been victims of crime to fill in his ‘Cheshire Victims Voice’ survey. The feedback will be used to shape the services that are provided to victims.

The survey is open all year round and you can complete it at: 

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/cheshirevictimsvoicesurvey

One of the Commissioner’s key responsibilities is to commission and fund support services for victims across Cheshire. People who have been a victim of crime within the last three years are being encouraged to fill in the survey, regardless of whether they reported the crime to the police.

Knowing which services people accessed and getting feedback about people’s experiences will enable the Commissioner and the police to improve the support provided to victims going forward.

John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire said:

“One of the key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan is to deliver justice for victims of crime, and to do that effectively I need to know where the current system is working and where it needs to be improved.

“If you’ve been a victim of crime in the past three years then please do take a few minutes to let me have your views. It’s only by gathering as many experiences as possible that we can ensure an ever-improving service for victims in Cheshire.”

As well as asking about victims’ experiences with current services, the survey also asks about what services should be available to victims in future.

There are three main victim support services currently commissioned in Cheshire:

• Cheshire CARES (Cope and Recovery Enhanced Service) was set up by John Dwyer in his first term as Commissioner to support victims and can be accessed by anyone in Cheshire.
• Remedi provides Restorative Justice services, bringing victims and perpetrators together to mediate and repair the harm caused by crime. Remedi also provides victim support services for people affected by hate crime in Cheshire.
• RASASC (Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre) provides support for victims of sexual assault, rape and sexual abuse through specialist counselling.

The Commissioner also operates a Victims Hub on his website, which includes an A-Z of support services and organisations for victims of various crimes.

To find out more about victim services funded by the Commissioner and to access the Victims Hub, go to: 

www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-the-commissioner-does/supporting-victims