A NEW service has been launched in North Yorkshire to help people needing emotional and practical support after becoming victims of crime.

The Supporting Victims North Yorkshire service aims to help victims cope and recover after experiencing crime by offering a variety of help and advice.

The service is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Julia Mulligan and is supported by North Yorkshire Police and Victim Support.

Most of the referrals to the service will come from the police and other public sector agencies, but members of the public can call the service directly if they have been a victim of a criminal offence and need help – even if they have chosen not to report the crime to police.

Mrs Mulligan said: “Being a victim of crime can be a difficult thing to deal with, and whilst some people are able to cope without help, others need some specialist support.

“I have launched this service for people living in North Yorkshire because I want to make sure that we do everything we can to help victims of crime to recover and get on with their lives.

“I hope that anyone who needs the service will come forward to take advantage of the support available.”

The Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, Dave Jones, said officers would be actively identifying people who might benefit from Supporting Victims and encouraging them to use the service.

“As a police service, we try to put the victim at the heart of everything we do, so we welcome the additional help that Supporting Victims will provide to those who have suffered as the result of a criminal offence,” he said.

“From today our officers will be actively identifying people who might benefit from Supporting Victims and encouraging them to make full use of the new service.”

Experienced victim care co-ordinators with the service will be able to offer advice and guidance for victims of crime via a dedicated telephone service. They can also refer victims to additional specialist services aimed specifically at victims of sexual or domestic abuse, as well as people who have suffered as a result of serious crime, or those who feel vulnerable or intimidated as a result of criminal activity.

Supporting Victims North Yorkshire can be contacted on the web at www.supportingvictims.org, via email on help@supportingvictims.org or by phone on 01904 669276.

To report a crime, people should continue to contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.