Victims' families 'are neglected'

Of those bereaved through homicide, over half, 55%, have never been offered counselling; 67% of bereaved family members felt unduly pressured to return to work before their rehabilitation; 97% cannot cope with the stress and 77% of males bereaved through homicide feel unable to express their true anguish, which can lead to a break up of the family unit.

These are the preliminary findings released by the Victims of Crime Trust to coincide with the start of European Victims' Week.

Norman Brennan, director of Victims of Crime Trust, said: "There's a woeful lack of care for those bereaved by murder. People are just left alone to cope. After someone has been murdered, people don't understand that life doesn't go back to normal, people's lives are shattered and often are suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

"We've spoken to families and many have told us that they've received no support. Employees don't understand that you can't just have two weeks off and be expected to return to work."

The organisation has spoken to 35-38 families which form the initial findings to be presented to the Home Office.

Sara Payne, mother of murdered school girl Sarah Payne and patron of Victims of Crime Trust, said: "Having met many other families bereaved through homicide, since Sarah was murdered, I am aware that many families fall apart because the very social services they need to rely upon for support, information and after-care are not there. It's left to unfunded victims' groups, like this Trust, to bridge the woeful gaps in victims' welfare service provision - but we need more funding to help more people effectively".

The organisation wants to raise £3m for a national research centre to campaign for victims' rights for research into "victimology".

The survey revealed that most bereaved families complain that GPs ignore their basic need for counselling in favour of over-prescribing medication, which is cheaper for their surgery.

Of those surveyed, 84% identified the need for employers to better understand how to retain an employee who is bereaved through homicide; 71% claim depression as their primary health concern, with familial stress, sleeplessness, medication, addiction, lack of concentration, stigmatisation, marginalisation and loneliness as compounding factors.