Knowing who to turn to
It’s normal to feel upset, angry or confused about what has happened to you, but you don’t have to face this alone. Talking to your family and close friends can be really helpful, but you can also receive support to help you through this difficult time from Beacon.
How Beacon can help
Beacon is a free service that helps thousands of young people who have been victims of crime every year, whether or not the crime is reported to the police. Our team are experienced to understand how you are feeling and will help you get the support you need to make things better for you.
Beacon is a service for people living in Hertfordshire
We can help:
- If you are under 18 and have been affected by crime
- f you are under 13, have been affected by crime and have consent from a parent or guardian
- Whether or not the crime has been reported to the police
- Even if the crime happened some time ago
What will happen if I contact Beacon?
1. We will listen to you
We will be pleased to hear from you. We will listen to you and find out what has happened and how you are feeling, then we can start to work out how we can help to make things easier for you.
2. You will be given a Case Manager
Having a Case Manager means that you will have a familiar person to talk to each time, who knows your situation and is aware of what is happening with your case. They will arrange to meet you, and by talking things through with you, they will work out the best way of giving you support.
3. You’ll have a safe place to turn to
Asking for support is nothing to be ashamed of, we all need to talk about how we are feeling at times and we hope you will be able to talk openly with your Case Manager.
All our Case Managers are specially trained to work with children and young people. Don’t be nervous or hold back when sharing information or expressing your feelings, they will have heard similar stories before and are there to help you.
4. We’ll help you understand your rights
Everyone who becomes a victim of a crime, no matter what their age, is protected by a legal document known as the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. This lists everything that should happen from the moment a crime is reported, right through to a court trial (if that happens). Your Beacon Case Manager will take you through this code and guide you towards any additional help you could ask for.
5. We’ll help you to access extra support
Beacon Case Managers know the support that is out there for young people and can put you in touch with other organisations that can help. For example, if you need to give evidence in court, they can tell you about the Citizens Advice Witness Service. You may be asked if you would like to consider Restorative Justice, your Case Manager can explain what this is and help you to decide if this is right for you.
Ready to contact us?
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- Call 0300 0115 555 and select option 3 (Open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and until 8pm on Wednesday)
- Register here and a Case Manager will call you within 3-4 working days
- Email: info@hertfordshirebeacon.org
IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, CALL 999
Your thoughts and feelings
It can be difficult to make sense of your thoughts and feelings after something as upsetting as becoming the victim of a crime, so expect to have good days and bad days.
There is no right or wrong way of dealing with these emotions, but the most important thing is that you let people know how you are feeling.
Some days you might not feel like talking, so maybe you could use these emoticons to express how you are feeling.
How are you feeling?
Aside from your mood, you may find that what you’ve experienced affects your body in other ways. We all experience things differently, but here are some of the common things that people notice
- Trouble sleeping
- Havin
Hopefully these problems will settle down in time but, if any of these issues are troubling you or affecting your study or work, it might be a good idea to mention them to your doctor.