About this website

The Victim Services Website for Cambridge and Peterborough is designed to provide victims and witnesses of crime with information about the support available to them, and make it easier for them to access this support.

This website was commissioned and is paid for by Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, to ensure that all services supporting victims and witnesses are as accessible as possible for victims and witnesses of crime.

There are hundreds of organisations of varying sizes in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough that support victims and witnesses of crime. It may be difficult or overwhelming for victims to know what support is available to them, and what support is right for them.

To help make the process of asking for help easier, the website encourages users to contact the Victim and Witness Hub, who can then give professional advice about what support is available and help them access that support. This will ensure the victim or witness gets the right help at the earliest point.

If a victim or witness is not yet ready to ask for support, they can use the Support for Victims and Support for Witnesses sections of the website. In these sections there is information about different types of crime, how this may affect a victim or a witness and what support is available. This information is designed to inform and reassure victims, supporting them to access the right support for them.

If the victim or witness would prefer to contact an organisation directly, they can use the Support Directory to search for services that they can contact directly for support.

Why does the site direct me to call the Victims and Witness hub?

The Victim and Witness Hub provides emotional and practical support for anyone affected by crime, whether they report it to the police or not.

While the Victim and Witness Hub is an 'in house' service, and staff are employed by the Constabulary, the service is separate from any investigation and completely confidential. Any information provided to the Hub is not shared with anyone (including the Constabulary) without your consent, unless there is a threat to life.

A number of specialist victim services also link into the Hub. The Hub can refer victims or witnesses to these specialist services and vice-versa. Not all victims or witnesses may know that these services are available to them, or they may want support, but are unsure about the process and may put off making a call.

Who runs this website?

The content of the website is managed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and The Victim and Witness Hub. Content is created with input from key partner agencies and commissioned services.

The Police and Crime Commissioner also funds the Victim and Witness Hub, and commissions a number of specialist services for victims of crime. More information is available on the Police and Crime Commissioners website.

The Victims' Hub was created in October 2014 when the Ministry of Justice transferred responsibility for commissioning victim services to the local Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). This change led to a complete review of how victim services were provided. In June 2016 the Victims' Hub merged with the Witness Care Team to become the Victim and Witness Hub, following a lengthy process of research and planning to ensure the best service for victims and witnesses. The Hub is now able to support victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice journey from initial report until conclusion or beyond if required.

This website was developed by Chameleon Studios Ltd.