REMARKS BY PrESIDENT Mary McALEESE AT THE Sligo Branch of Victim Support thursday, 5 November 1998
REMARKS BY PrESIDENT Mary McALEESE AT THE Sligo Branch of Victim Support thursday, 5 November 1998
As Patron of Victim Support I am particularly pleased to be here in Sligo this evening to meet with members of Victim Support - a vibrant and active group of volunteers who are committed to delivering a most important service to communities in the Sligo region.
I have a particular admiration for the work undertaken by the Irish Association for Victim Support, an organisation I have an association with going right back to its foundation. To be the victim of crime can be a deeply traumatic experience. Even a crime which can seem relatively minor to some can have a profound and lasting impact on the victim – disrupting their whole pattern of life – and with more serious consequences when the victim is subjected to violence. We are only beginning to truly listen to the victims complete story and as we listen our responses are being reshaped. Victim Support has been an important contributor to that change and it is to its great credit that, while it receives support from the State, depends primarily on volunteers who give of their time so freely.
Crime is universal and is no respecter of age, race or tradition. Victims of crime live in our communities, and they challenge the caring part of our human nature – a challenge which in this country has been demonstrated in great abundance by the members of Victim Support. Yours is a tremendous example of citizens fulfilling their duties and responsibilities by helping others who are in need of assistance. It is an example of people who are prepared to make a difference - an inspiration for the rest of us – and I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of all your members. Your sacrifice of time and energy means a lot to anybody who has suffered as a result of crime – and goes a long way in restoring their faith in the human kindness.
With the political developments in Northern Ireland bringing real hope and determination for a lasting peace, we are conscious of the plight of the victims - those who have been touched by violence in the last 25 years who cannot suddenly forget their experiences – who cannot just draw a line under their pain and loss. It is not enough to assume that the victims of conflict will recover automatically - we must all pause, reflect and help those whose lives have been touched by the conflict, from whatever quarter they may come. Their traumas must continue to receive consideration. Indeed, this was brought into sharp focus during the summer when we witnessed the terrible destruction of life and lives in Omagh and Ballymoney when there was such a tremendous will for peace.
I know that there is a high level of co-operation between Victim Support and Victim Support Northern Ireland in addressing the needs of those who have been victims, both direct and indirect. There are victims of violence on all sides of the community in Northern Ireland – and the needs of all victims must be fully addressed. It is a challenge to us all in this time of hope and optimism, when opportunities for reconciliation are being grasped with courage, that the victims of violence be allowed to play their full part and have their say. It’s very encouraging to see both Governments North and South taking this issue so seriously that they have appointed senior politicians with special responsibilities in this area. I would like to pay tribute to the Victim Support organisations and those who have helped to raise consciousness in addressing a painful legacy of the violence which is now hopefully over – you can take pride in the growing evidence of your success.
Your organisation has grown from small beginnings, inspired by its founding pioneers - and nourished and strengthened by the commitment of its growing number of volunteers. From small beginnings, you have become a significant, hardworking and professional force in the field of voluntary care, with a commitment to high standards. The development of the Victim Support network reflects your commitment to care and I am very conscious of the great regard in which your activities are held in this part of the country - which will continue to benefit from this reputation as the organisation grows.
Growth inevitably creates new organisational challenges and the essence of your success is your ability to adapt and respond to these challenges. The appointment of your new Chief Executive, Lillian McGovern, reflects this response - and I am confident that with continued growth and development, you will retain the unique principles on which your well-deserved reputation has been built.
The scope of your impressive and comprehensive services continues to expand, with a range of supports from the specialised response for the families and dependants of homicide victims to a service for tourist victims of crime who find themselves in difficulty - the service for those who find themselves hospitalised as a result of crime - and the new 24-Hour National Helpline formally launched earlier this week which will be of great benefit to those who require advice or support at short notice.
Through the efforts of Victim Support a proper, deep and increasingly sophisticated understanding of the plight of crime victims has emerged and has led to the development of services and responses from the statutory and voluntary agencies. We no longer look at victims through the focused lens of the criminal justice system which for so long looked just at the outward facts and not inside the feeling person. I know that through the work of Victim Support, often in conjunction with statutory bodies, many important initiatives have been implemented – with the Charter for Victims being a particularly welcome development, formally acknowledging the position of the victim within the Criminal Justice System.
By my presence here this evening, I want to give recognition and affirmation to all your valuable work. Victim Support has met a need in our society – a society which is in a constant state of flux – a society that with all its hopes for prosperity and progress well into the next millennium, has a requirement to care for those who become victims of crime – a phenomenon which, sadly, will perhaps always be with us.