Violent crime
'Happy slapping' may sound harmless but it can make a violent incident evem nore traumatic.
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While many crimes have fallen in recent years, sadly some types of violent crime have been on the increase. Both physical attacks and threats of assault are considered violent crime. The police will record a crime as violent whether or not you actually get hurt, if the offender clearly intended to harm you. Violent crimes are very serious crimes and can be very distressing for the victim.
Violence can take many different forms, such as:
- assault
- 'happy slapping'
- sexual violence
- alcohol and drug-related violence
- gang violence
- domestic violence
- racist, homophobic, religious and disability hate crime
- and even football hooliganism.
Incidents can happen anywhere - at home, in the street, in clubs and pubs, and at work. And it's not always a stranger who commits a violent act - often the victim knows the person who attacks them.
How a violent crime can affect you
It can be extremely frightening to be the victim of a violent crime. As well as potentially suffering physical harm or injury - and the pain that can cause - you can be very seriously affected emotionally. For example, many people find it hard to deal with the feeling of being powerless when someone is threatening you.
You may be in a state of total disbelief and feel numb. You could feel deeply upset and traumatised. You may feel like your life is completely out of control. You might be having physical symptoms such as 'the shakes', sleeplessness or crying all the time. You may feel extremely angry towards your attacker - or maybe you blame yourself for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. All of these reactions, and more, are completely normal responses to being a victim of violence.
We can help
Victim Support is the independent national charity for people affected by crime. Our services are confidential, free and available to everyone. We help thousands of victims of violence every year. Our volunteers are specially trained to give you information, practical help and emotional support.
Victims of crime are usually put in touch with Victim Support by the police. But you can also contact us directly, whether or not you want to report the crime to the police and regardless of when the crime happened. If you do decide to report the attack, our volunteers can go to the police station and to court with you. We can give you information about how the criminal justice system works and help you to claim compensation.
We can also help you to deal with the emotional effects of a violent crime. You can talk to our volunteers in confidence. You might just want to to let off steam without bothering your friends and family. Maybe you want to get a better understanding of what you've been through and how you can get your life back on track. Our experienced volunteers are there to listen, to help you make sense of what's happened, and to start to look forward to life again after a crime.
If you were attacked by your partner, ex-partner or a family member, you can talk to one of our people who's trained in domestic violence issues. We'll even support relatives or friends of someone who has been threatened or assaulted if they want our help because we know the effects of crime can go way beyond the direct victim.
You may need medical help if you've been injured. We can give you advice on getting treatment. And if you can't work because of how the crime has affected you, we can give you information about dealing with your employer and about getting benefits. You can also get benefit information from your local benefits office or Citizens Advice Bureau.
If we can't give you all the support you need, we can put you in touch with other organisations that help.
Get in touch: we can help
Most people are referred to us by the police when they report a crime. But anyone can contact us directly if they want to.
You can also email or call the Victim Supportline on 0845 30 30 900 for support and information.