14. Victimology
14.5 Victim Assistance Services
Dr. Jordana K. Norgaard and Dr. Benjamin Roebuck
Victims can receive help through a variety of victim services throughout each stage of the criminal justice system. Victim-based services can be police-based, court-based, or community-based. Police-based victim services are available to victims of all types of crime and trauma. They are located in RCMP detachments and/or municipal police departments. Police-based victim service programs respond to police call-outs and provide critical incident response to victims and their family members in the immediate aftermath of crime or trauma (Province of British Columbia, 2021c). Crown or court-based services are available to victims of crime to enhance the understanding and participation of victims and witnesses in the court process. Victim court support case workers work alongside victims, witnesses, and their families to provide updates, information, and emotional assistance. They can assist with preparing victim impact statements, applications for Crime Victim Assistance (if applicable), and registration with a victim safety unit (if applicable). Additionally, victim court support case workers can accompany victims and witnesses to court and Crown counsel interviews and help connect victims and witnesses at the courthouse with victim service programs and other resources (Government of Canada, n.d.; Province of British Columbia, 2021d). Community-based victim services are available to assist victims of family and sexual violence, regardless of whether the victim has reported the crime to the police. Some communities have specific programs for women, children, youth, male survivors of sexual abuse, Indigenous peoples, and people from specific ethnic communities. Services can be found in sexual assault centres, victim advocacy groups, distress centres, and safe homes (Province of British Columbia, 2021c).
For many communities and victims and/or survivors of crime, traditional approaches to healing such as talk therapy and crisis intervention may have little relevance within their cultural context (D’Anniballe, 2011, as cited in Poore, Shulruff & Bein, 2013, p. 3). Instead, these communities may opt to use more holistic and culturally relevant approaches to heal from trauma and victimisation. A growing body of research has demonstrated that trauma can result in significant changes to both the neurological and physiological make-up of an individual. Trauma can affect survivors in many ways, and consequently, victim service providers have begun to respond to an assortment of needs with a variety of healing paths. This may include art therapy, arts and crafts, meditation and mindfulness, music and dance, sweat lodge ceremonies, on-the-land and camping programs, healing circles, prayer, and traditional herbal medicines (Poore et al., 2013). Moving away from traditional, Western approaches to healing can be beneficial for victim service providers assisting Indigen