Victim Support Online (VSO)- now part of Kellimni

Victim Support Online is an online service provided by Victim Support Malta, in partnership with SOS Malta. Victim Support Online provides support to victims of crime through the mediums of chat and e-mail. Our staff at Victim Support Online are trained in providing professional support to its service users in relation to criminal offences. This is done in an anonymous and confidential manner.

Victim Support Online was awarded funding from the Fund of Voluntary Organisations, an initiative developed by the Malta Community Chest Fund which focusses on supporting projects with a social aim, which will benefit society as a whole. Victim Support Online is a partnership between two local NGO’s, SOS Malta and Victim Support Malta.

The idea for the project stemmed from the fact that each year there are thousands of crimes which are unreported. This is due to the victim perceiving the act as non-criminal and/or the victim not wishing to deal with the effects of a specific crime. Nonetheless, victims of crime still experience depression, isolation, fear and damage to property, and social exclusion.

The needs of individuals who have been victimised differ in each case, and each individual requires different interventions to cater for his/her needs. As such, we have opened up the avenue of online support as a potential means to encourage more victims of crime to seek support in a confidential and anonymous manner.

In accordance with the 2012/29 EU Directive on Victims’ Rights, Victim Support Online shall aid in supporting victims of crime and directing them towards information which is relevant to their specific case – be it practical information or legal advice -, whilst also providing information regarding the services which could provide service users with tailored support. Service users will thus be provided with instant and anonymous support, something which the local scene is currently not providing to the general public. The Victim Online Support webpage will provide such a service and will be an easy-to-reach informational hub for victims of crime.

For more information check out : www.vso.org.mt