Getting support
Many young people are affected by crime and it’s really important to know that you’re not alone. There are many options for supporting you, including our services in Gloucester.
We can help you to:
-
understand your experience of crime
-
feel and be safer
-
reduce the risks of becoming a victim again
-
help you move on from your experience
Talk to a trusted person
Being a victim of crime can be one of those times when you need to be able to talk to someone, but many of us can feel afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. We may be worried about what people will think, worried the person we talk to will tell other people, or scared the person will laugh at us. Yet most of us would help our friends and family, so why would they feel any differently towards us?
Make sure you are safe
A safety plan helps you to think about your actions in advance and to help you stay safe. It looks at the risks you face and helps you to make choices on:
- how to reduce these risks to keep you safer
- know which safe adults you can call and who can help when you aren’t safe
- to know when and how to call the police
- avoid places that are unsafe
- to plan safe places you can go to and safe ways to travel
- to remember what to do in an emergency
Report to the police
It can be really difficult to decide whether to report a crime to the police. You may think the police won’t believe you or take you seriously, or that they will view the crime as not important enough to do anything about.
If the offender is someone you know, especially a friend or family member, you may be worried about getting them in to trouble. Remember, the police are there to listen and protect you. By reporting you can make sure that the crime stops, for you and for other people. If you do want to report a crime, we can help you to do this.