APAV hosted the Workshop "116 006: European victim support helplines"

APAV hosted the Workshop "116 006: European victim support heplines", on the 19th and 20th of October, an event co-organised by Victim Support Europe. This workshop had the objective to promote the share of good practices, a large and interactive debate about technical and organizational aspects, as like about how 116 006 was integrate the other distance-based victim support and the implications for policy and legislation.

The establishment of a 116 0006 number is also aligned with the idea of common standards on the rights of victims of crime within the EU, as it enables the provision of emotional support, of information about rights and how to use them, while also referring victims to the relevant organisations.

The use of a harmonised European victim support helpline 116 006, short and easy to memorise, allows victims moving around, either victimised while travelling or still suffering consequences of a crime committed in another Member State, to use the same number and reach the same type of service. The establishment of a 116 0006 number is also aligned with the idea of common standards on the rights of victims of crime within the EU, as it enables the provision of emotional support, of information about rights and how to use them, while also referring victims to the relevant organisations.

There are currently 10 victim support organisations (VSOs) operating the 116 006 in their Member State – Weisser Ring (Germany), Weisser Ring (Austria), Croatian Victim and Witness Support Service (Croatia), Crime Victims Helpline (Ireland), Slachtofferhulp Nederland (The Netherlands), Bílý Kruh Bezpečí (Czech Republic), Offerrådgivningen i Danmark (Denmark), Rikosuhripäivystys (RIKU, Finland), France Victimes (France) and the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (Portugal).