Victim Support

Since the early 1990’s both Non Profit Organisations and the South African Police Force have worked on establishing Victim Empowerment/Support Centres at Police Stations. The establishment of police station based Victim Support Centres has its roots in the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), an inter-departmental approach response to the increasing crime levels and insufficient services available to victims of crime and violence and is the first level of support to victims of crime and violence across South Africa.  These Victim Empowerment/Support Centres located at police stations remain the primary reception points to victims of violence and crime and volunteers are the core service providers.

Police Station based Victim Support Centres are in essence Reception, Assessment and Referral (RAR) sites that:

• Receive the victim in a friendly manner and with respect to the victim’s dignity an privacy.
• Victim’s are given the opportunity to share  information and are assisted should they wish to open a case.
• Victim’s are offered emotional support.
• Victim’s are offered practical support.
• Victim’s are provided information on the criminal justice process and on additional services available to the victim.
• Victim’s are referred for professional services.
• Appropriate records related to their services are kept and monitored.

LifeLine Ekurhuleni has been involved in police station based victim support sites since 2007.  We currently debrief, supervise and train volunteers at the following police station based victim support centres:   Kwa-Thema, Daveyton, Vosloorus, Dawn Park, Kempton Park, Actonville, Tembisa, Tsakane, Springs and Etwatwa.