Supporting victims of anti-social behaviour

As part of ASB Awareness Week 2024, we're sharing information on some of the services the Council provides to help combat anti-social behaviour (ASB) and support victims. 

Anti-social behaviour falls below the level of a crime but can still have a serious impact on the community and leave victims feeling scared, isolated, anxious and upset. For this reason the Council employs a Victims' Champion to make sure those who need it receive support beyond their report of ASB. The following quote is from Hanife, our Victims' Champion.

"I have worked for Waltham Forest, within the Anti-Social Behaviour Team as the Victims' Champion since 2013. My role is to provide emotional and advocacy support to victims of anti-social behaviour, and they can access this support either face to face or over the phone.

Providing non-judgemental emotional support creates a safe place for them to talk about their experience, and the impact. Understanding their feelings and acknowledging their experience can provide immense emotional relief and reassurance, and can help them to cope better and move forward.

In some cases the impact is more intense, and the victim may disclose anxiety attacks, reoccurring dreams of the incident or flashbacks, I can refer the person to Counselling sessions that are funded via my post. This funding also covers practical support such as ring doorbells, censored security lights and additional locks. All victims are offered a personal panic alarm.

I also act as an advocate; contacting individual agencies can prove quite challenging and stressful for victims. By advocating on their behalf it ensures that the victim's voice is heard and can also help to break down any communication barriers. If the victim's first language isn’t English, I have access to an interpreter as well. This support is particularly important in cases when victims are older or more vulnerable.

Although my role can be somewhat challenging, the positive feedback from the victims I support is so rewarding and makes my role worthwhile as I know that I have made a difference!"