Victim Support Agency - Stop Violence

Address: 52, Old Theatre Street, Valletta (Head Office)

Victim Support Regional Centres: Qawra, Santa Luċija, Malta and Xewkija, Gozo.

Telephone: 116 006 (the National Victim Support Line)

The Victim Support Agency commenced its operations in 2021 following the introduction of Legal Notice 418 of 2020. The agency is made up of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of different professionals from the legal and psychosocial fields, public officers and members from the police’s Victim Support Unit (VSU) who have been assigned to the agency.

All services are offered free of charge and under strict confidentiality. The Agency is entrusted to act as a national contact point for Victims of Crime; raise awareness on victims’ rights and provides the necessary support and assistance to victims, including:

Police information and follow-up on cases.
Emotional and therapeutic support.
The opportunity to provide a Victim Individual Assessment to express how the crime has affected them.
Legal guidance about what to expect in court and Victims’ Rights.
Accompaniment to Court.
Information about the release of offenders from prison.

Victim Support Services are offered equally to both locals and foreign victims residing in Malta. In case a foreign victim no longer resides in Malta, the VSA liaises with the respective foreign counterpart to support the foreign victim in their country of residence.

Aims and objectives of Victim Support Agency include:

Ensuring that Victim Support Services are run, managed, and provided in terms of the existing and approved standards from time to time.
Serving as a point of contact for victims of crime by coordinating and make all the different services offered easily accessible.
Conducting individual assessments of victims to ensure that each victim receives the right support in a timely and efficient manner.
Monitoring the victims’ progress throughout their use of the Agency’s services.
Entering into agreements with other governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure the best service for victims of crime.
Raising awareness and advocating for victims’ rights to encourage other victims to report and seek support.
Reaching out to victims to help them feel safe, process their traumatic experience, and restore their former quality of life.
Promoting a multidisciplinary, multiagency approach to maintain the holistic wellbeing of victims whilst ensuring continuity of services.
Monitor the number of victims that are accessing their rights and victim support services provided by the Police Force.
Deliver appropriate and ongoing training on victims-centred practices.
Establish an effective communication and working relationship

The Victim Support Agency operates from its head office in Valletta and has also established three smaller Victim Support Regional Centres in Qawra, Santa Luċija, Malta and Xewkija, Gozo.

Referral Guidance

A person accesses the Agency’s services in two ways:

Option A: Outreach by the Victim Support Unit Police (VSU) following the submission of a police report.

Option B: Seek guidance and support by directly contacting the Victim Support Agency on freephone 116 006, the National Support Line for Victims of Crime.

If you are not sure whether you wish to report immediately to the police, you may wish to contact VSA where you will be given an appointment with a professional in a welcoming and confidential environment, and where you will have access to information, emotional support, and legal guidance to enable you to make an informed decision as to how you wish to proceed.

Core Structure of Victim Support Agency: Flowchart