Victim Care Merseyside hub can help if you've been affected by crime

If you’ve been affected by crime, you may feel lost, vulnerable, or even scared. You need a simple and straightforward way of getting support.

That’s what the Victim Care Merseyside hub is here to provide.

Launched by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, the hub is a team of real people who care and want to help.

They provide a single point of contact for victims to access free, confidential, non-judgemental advice and support, whether they have reported a crime to the police or not.

The hub staff are specially trained to provide emotional and practical support, helping those affected by crime to cope and recover.

It’s been running since November 2022 and, on average, more than 430 people each month are being supported.

This includes their needs being assessed by a Victim Care Adviser who then helps to make sure they get the advice and support they need.

For those who require ongoing support, the team will put a personal care plan in place, focused on providing them with the right long-term emotional and practical care.

Amazing support

Among those who have accessed the hub’s help is Trish - a close family friend and neighbour of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel who was murdered in August 2022.

Trish said: “The night Olivia was murdered; I just couldn’t get it out of my head. I was afraid to go out. Any little noise was scaring me.”

Trish was referred to the Victim Care Merseyside hub by her sister-in-law.

She said: “Two hours I was on the phone, crying most of the time, but she [the Victim Care Adviser] was so chatty, so understanding.”

She added: “I would say contact the hub, the support I’ve had was amazing and it made me feel so much better.”

Get the help you need

Joanne also reached out to