ESF – Project START (Suicide Training, Action, Recovery and Therapy)
Suicide remains a prevailing issue locally, in Europe and worldwide. It is a global phenomenon that affects people of all ages and from all regions of the world.
BeneVict (Benefits of full implementation of the Victims’ Rights Directive)
The BeneVict project is focused on developing an evidence base for advancing rights of victims of crimes and influencing the future of victims’ rights in the EU, also enabling a broad pan- EU partnership to raise the challenge of improving victims’ realities across the EU.
Partnership for the development of educational tools tackling gender-based cyber violence – implemented under the European programme ERASMUS+
This partnership project between Droga in Poland and VSM in Malta will focus on developing educational tools to tackle gender-based cyber violence, and in particular, the creation of a campaign to raise awareness on the topic of cyber violence.
A professionals’ guide to working with Critical IncidentsThe main objective of the awareness raising campaign is to improve road safety in Malta, preventing and decreasing road traffic injuries and deaths in the future.
“It was by accepting a friend request on Facebook that I was scammed and lost a large amount of money. I felt so stupid and ashamed of trusting someone who was actually a criminal and to top it all, I gave him information about myself with which he can hurt me".
"Needless to say my self-esteem was at rock bottom and my outlook on life was bleak to say the least. I was offered the help of Victim Support Malta, which I accepted with the hope of making sense of the great confusion that I felt at the time. After the first meeting with the manager, I was assigned a therapist….. With the help of this therapist I made heads and tails of my feelings. My confusion and shame began to decrease. I accepted the fact that these people are professional crooks who follow a script to fool the trusting person on the other side…..I am so grateful for the help that I was given…..I am almost back to my old, positive self, alive and happy (most of the time). I would recommend the Victim Support Malta to anyone who needs it they can definitely help”
“I don't know where to begin, honestly this is how I felt months ago, when I lost my brother to the worst death that anyone can lose a loved one to... suicide is cruel and leaves great sorrow, lots of pain that you cannot explain".
"It felt like the world ended. I closed myself in a bubble, I cut off from everyone... my brother left me and my family members, he left us to exist. Although I was sceptical about whether or not anyone could help me, because I was feeling intensely desperate and under great shock, I still asked for help. I called and asked around... and in the end I found someone who really wanted to help me and hear me. I wasn't treated as someone to be pittied, but as a person that needed help to face the days that came after this trauma. I attended a number of sessions at Victim Support Malta, where I used to go once a week (in the beginning), until slowly slowly, I started going less frequently, every three weeks. I can honestly say that I had a great counsellor. A person who won my trust and confidence without me even realising, who I felt comfortable with and ended up like an open book. He taught me to see life in a different way, not to be cruel to myself, and to be kinder to myself, to take one day at a time, hour by hour, to take care of myself first so that I could care for the people that I love, to see what the true priorities are in my life, and to recognise moments to be cherished. I learnt a lot, and I use the work that I did with my counsellor every day! Believe me, today I ask myself "what would I have done if I hadn't come for these sessions? What would have happened to me if I hadn't asked for help?" I can't imagine… but I have no doubt that I would be in a much worst situation. Today, I'm here with positivity, giving courage to my family, in spite of all that has thrown at me. With the good that is being done by Victim Support Malta, I am able to be a pillar of strength to my family... If I hadn't attended those sessions, I don't know where I'd be today”.
“I have been suffering from depression for the last nine years and it has been a nightmare. I went to a psychiatrist and the only thing he could do was give me pills. I have had many suicidal thoughts and I have been so close three times".
"Last year a friend of mine introduced me to a counsellor at Victim Support and I have been going there since. It was such a strange feeling having to talk to someone you don't know about your feelings as I always kept everything to myself. By time, I started trusting my counsellor as he was so gentle and understanding. I also started to feel comfortable talking to him. He used to know if I was hiding something and he used to go straight to the point. In May, I attempted suicide and my counselor called the ambulance. I ended up in hospital for three days and then I was transferred to another hospital where I stayed for two weeks. During this bad time, I always had my counsellor's support. When I came out from the hospital, the sessions continued and they were frequent. My counsellor started teaching me how to turn away from bad thoughts. He's teaching me how to appreciate the little things in my life. He showed me how loved I am from the people around me. He's been of great help for me and I thank him so much for all the support he gives me. One last thing. Keep up the good work you are all doing at Victim Support. Thank God for people like you.”
