HISTORY OF VICTORIA HOMICIDE VICTIMS SUPPORT GROUP

The Victoria Homicide Victims Support Group (VHVSG) was formed and incorporated in November, 2005.  Its founding members, Janine Greening and Laura Francis, whose loved family members were victims of homicide, identified that Victoria was in desperate need of a Homicide Victims Support Group that provided specialised advocacy services for homicide victims.

Of great concern are the victims who have been overlooked by government agencies and and independent victim groups:-

• Culpable Driving
• Cold Case Victims & Missing Persons (where foul play is suspected)

These victims are lost in the system, and require special long term service provision.

Our primary purpose is to provide crisis and long term support and advocacy to victims of homicide.  Our secondary purpose is to fill the gaps in services that exist between and beyond other agencies ensuring best practice service delivery is achieved.

THE HORROR OF HOMICIDE

When a loved one is a victim of homicide, the experience can be especially overwhelming.  People who have lost a loved one due to a homicide are often engulfed by feelings of guilt, shame, isolation and anguish.

The cruelty of the act of homicide compounds the sense of sorow and loss for the survivors, and these feelings are exacerbated by the acute feelings of injustive, distrust and helplessness.  Survivors of homicide require extensive practical, financial and psychological aims.

"EVERY HOMICIDE IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY"