A SERVICE dedicated to guiding and supporting victims and witnesses of crime and anti-social behaviour is now offering extra support in the four counties it serves. New divisional support workers for Goleudy are based at police stations in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Powys.
It is anticipated their introduction will encourage stronger links with communities, police officers and partner agencies, with the goal of ensuring victims and witnesses that use Goleudy are happy with the service they receive. They will provide divisional support to the central team, which is co-located at Dyfed-Powys Police Headquarters in Carmarthen. Goleudy is commissioned by Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, and provides free and confidential support to anyone affected by crime and anti-social behaviour, regardless of whether they’ve reported it to the police.
Rhian Evans, Victim and Witness Support Officer for Ceredigion, said: “I provide practical help, emotional and holistic support with a commitment to make a positive difference to the lives of victims and witnesses. Empowering them by providing the information and support needed to make their own decisions. I am able to refer clients on to other appropriate services ensuring that victims receive tailored support to meet their needs. This role is exceptionally rewarding and I look forward to delivering the service to meet the needs of our community.”
Goleudy, which is Welsh for lighthouse, opened its lines to victims and witnesses of crime in April 2017. The service offers emotional, practical and personal support to all victims and witnesses of crime, from serious and complex crimes, to victims of fraud, supporting victims of terrorism (such as the recent Manchester bombings) and cybercrime
Goleudy supports victims via a range of services including face to face, over the phone or home visits and can put together bespoke support plans to ensure a victim or witness gets the support that is most appropriate to their individual needs.
In April 2018 Goleudy began offering support to victims of anti-social behaviour in recognition of the detrimental effect this type of behaviour can have on an individual or the wider community. This will ensure that there is a consistent approach to support services being offered to both victims of crime and anti-social behaviour across the region.
Victims and witnesses are referred to Goleudy by police officers and via partner agencies, however there is the option for a victim or witness of crime to refer themselves to the service, even if they have not reported the crime or anti-social behaviour to police.
Nichola Rance, Goleudy Service Manager, said: “Goleudy will be offering an enhanced service to victims of crime and anti-social behaviour with the introduction of divisional support officers.
“They will work closely with police officers to ensure that victims feel listened to, are updated and most importantly supported.
“In March 2018, Goleudy was honoured to be acknowledged as best practice for supporting victims by HMICFRS in their national report on police effectiveness, however we acknowledge that there is much work still to be done to ensure that the victim is truly placed at the heart of the criminal justice process.”
For more information about Goleudy visit www.
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