A year-long review by Thanet District Council’s Community Safety Working Party on the level of victim support in the district, has led to increased help for victims of crime and rape in Ramsgate and Thanet.
In examining the support available to victims a working party, made up of council officers and members, sought the views of Kent Police and support agencies such as the East Kent Rape Crisis Centre.
As part of the working group, Cllrs Janet Falcon and Peter Campbell took responsibility for demonstrating the findings to Ramsgate Town Council and asking for its support.
Cllr Campbell raised the issue of lack of funding and as a result the town council agreed to fund the work of East Kent Rape Crisis Centre in Ramsgate for one day a week for a year.
Cllr Falcon worked to find a suitable location for East Kent Rape Crisis to hold drop in sessions and after numerous negotiations, the East Kent Rape Crisis Centre is now open one day a week in Ramsgate’s Registry Office while Ramsgate Library also hosts weekly Victim Support sessions.
Cllr Falcon said:“I was a senior counsellor co-ordinator at Victim Support for 20 years and the important aspect to realise is that these agencies will help people regardless of whether they have reported a crime or not – people do not have to have a crime reference number to receive their help.”
“There are many incidents of domestic abuse and rape that victims are too scared to report. It is so important that this behaviour is caught early. When children are involved, they may grow up to see this as being normal behaviour and so it can carry through to other generations.”
This is the first type of scrutiny review that the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel has carried out in this way and the panel will continue to address key issues to help improve the lives of the people of Thanet.
Help and advice in Ramsgate
- Ramsgate Library – Victim Support, every Wednesday, 1.30pm – 3.30pm.
- Ramsgate Registry Office – East Kent Rape Crisis Centre, every Thursday, all day