What support is available to a victim of school bullying?
What support is available to someone who has recently been mugged or been a victim of home invasion?
What support is available to a victim of school bullying?
Support for school bullying victims can be found from a number of different places. Firstly, if the victim has told their family, their parents, siblings and extended family, these people may be able to support the victim. Their friends are also an important support system in this tough situation.
Most schools tend to take school bullying very seriously and have processes in place for dealing with it. Talking to the child’s teacher or principal might be a good first step to take in responding to a situation where a child is being bullied by another student.
If a victim of bullying wants to talk to someone outside of their friends, family and school, there are lots of numbers they can call for support and advice:
- 0800 No Bully (0800 66 28 55): a free and anonymous 24-hour information line and website giving advice about how to stop bullying
- Youthline (0800 37 66 33): offers online and telephone counselling for young people. This service runs daily from 8pm to midnight
- Kidsline (0800 54 37 54): offers online and telephone support for 9 to 13 year olds, and is operated by senior students. This service runs weekdays from 4pm to 6pm
- What’s Up (0800 942 8787): telephone counselling for 5 to 18 year olds. This service runs daily from midday to midnight
Steps to stopping bullying are outlined in our Education section.
What support is available to someone who has recently been mugged or been a victim of home invasion?
As soon as the crime has happened, you should report it to the local police by calling 111.
Victim support is an organisation which offers information and support that can help people who have been hurt by crime or a traumatic experience. Volunteers across the country offer their services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can advise you on:
You can call Victim Support on 0800 VICTIM (0800 842 846), or write to them at PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140.
You can also contact:
- Victims of Crime Information Line - 0800 650 654
- Family Violence Information – phone 0800 456 450 Victim Support ACC – for general enquiries about suffering personal injury as a result of crime, phone 0800 101 996
- ACC (Sensitive Claims) for victims of sexual abuse and for those suffering a mental injury as a result of that abuse, whether or not you have reported the abuse - phone 0800 735 566
If you’re going to court as the victim of a crime, a Victim Adviser can explain the court process to you and support you during the process. Not to be confused with Victim Support, Victim Advisers are specialist staff employed by the Court to provide confidential support and information. They will normally get in touch with you after the defendant’s first appearance in court.
For information on the help you can get from the court, and an overview of what to expect of the criminal justice system see the Ministry of Justice website.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau will also be able to help you find victim support services near you.