Mass for European Day for Victims of Crime

Mass for European Day for Victims of Crime

A special Mass to commemorate the European Day for Victims of Crime will take place at Knock Shrine. Mass takes place in Knock Basilica on Sunday, February 23rd at 12 noon.

European Day for Victims of Crime is a day to remember those who have suffered at the hands of criminals – many millions every year –children and adults, women and men, poor and wealthy, residents and visitors to the EU. It is a day to recognise the plight of victims everywhere and to give voice to their needs. Across Europe and the world, reports of crimes against victims – whether they relate to terrorism, abuse, domestic violence, hate crime, human trafficking, robbery or any other crime, are a stark reminder of how unpredictable crime can be.

This Mass is organised by Victim Assistance Ireland.  Victim Assistance is a voluntary charity offering emotional and practical assistance to all victims of crime and their families who have experienced a traumatic incident.

Becoming a Victim of Crime or experiencing a traumatic event can be a life-changing experience.No crime of event is too small or insignificant and each person will react differently to a crime or traumatic event. The Federation for Victim Assistance is a voluntary organisation founded in 2005, that offers a range of services designed to assist victims and those that have experienced a traumatic incident, in coping with the effects of crime and trauma. The service is also available to Victims’ family members.

Since coming into being, Victim Assistance has helped 1000’s of victims and we continue to do so on a daily basis. They work tirelessly on behalf of the victim and are uncompromising in their efforts to ensure victims recover after crime or traumatic incident. All volunteers are fully trained, Garda Vetted and are governed by the Constitution of the Federation for Victim Assistance and abide by the Federations Code of Conduct. Some examples of the types of crimes/traumatic incidents that victims or family members supported by Victim Assistance have experienced: Homicide, Manslaughter, Death from Dangerous driving, Rape/Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Assault, Theft, Robbery, Burglary, Road Traffic Accidents, Human Trafficking, Bullying/Bullying in the Workplace/Cyber Bullying, Internet Scams, Criminal Damage, Housing Issues, Neighbour disputes, Harassment, Accidental Death, General enquiries re Garda/Court, Barring orders.

See www.victimassistance.ie for more details.

The Mass will be broadcast live from Knock Basilica on our website here