Table of Contents:

SL NO. Topics Page No.

1 Title 1

2 Introduction 1

3 Various victim support centre in Bangladesh 2

4 Provided services from VSC 2

5 Victim of Crime 3

6 Victim Support Services 3

7 Organizations Providing Victim Support in Bangladesh 3-4

8 Nature of Services for the Victims by various VSC IN 4-6

Bangladesh
9 Limitations & Challenges of Victim Support in Bangladesh: 6

10 Recommendations 6

11 Conclusion 7
Title: Victim support centre in Bangladesh.

Introduction: To know about the victim support centre in Bangladesh first of all we have
know about victim, victimology, victimization, victimizer.

Victim: a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or
action.

a person who suffers from a destructive or injurious action or agency.

Victimology: the study of the victims of crime and the psychological effects on them of their
experience.

Victimology is the study of victimization, including the relationships between victims

and offenders.

Victimization: Victimization is the process of being victimized.

Victimizer: a person who victimizes others.

With the collaboration of Police Reform Program (PRP) and UNDP the process of establishing
victim support centre, DMP started. Within a very short time site selection, infrastructural
development, agreement with the partner NGOs and training were accomplished and the first
victim support centre of Bangladesh was established at the compound of Tejgaon PS, DMP in
17th February 2009. The honorable minister of Home Affaires Adv. Shahara Khatun inaugurated
the centre formally.

From 17th February, 2009 Victim Support Centre started its journey. This centre is providing
legal assistance and regarding service to women & children victim of violence. It represents a
unique partnership between Bangladesh Police and 10 non Government organizations. It plays an
important role in safeguarding victims in protecting their legal rights. This center ensures best
services for those victims. One concern Assistant Police Commissioner is in charge of this
Victim Support Centre.
Various victim support centre in Bangladesh:

1. Ain-O-Shalish Kendra

2. Association for Community Development

3. Association for Correction and Social Reclamation

4. Aparajayo Bangladesh

5. Acide Survivors Foundation

6. Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association

7. Bangladesh Mohila Parishad

8. Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust

9. Dhaka Ahsania Misson

10. Marie stopes

With the partnership of 10 NGOs victim support centre DMP is serving women and children
victim by providing legal assistance, counseling support and rehabilitation facilities. Pro-people
service providing program of Bangladesh Police has been institutionalized and concentrated
through the integrated services of victim support centre.

Provided services from VSC:

Transitional Residential facilities (maximum 5 days shelter)
Emergency help (medical treatment, psychosocial counseling)
Safe and secured environment
Victim of Crime
Crime victims are persons or entities that suffer because of illegal acts. Direct victims
experiences the act or its consequences first hand. Indirect victims share the sufferings and losses
but were not immediately involved or harmed . A victim of crime is an act of violence committed
against them.

Victim Support Services

Victim support services refer to a charitable organization or activity that assists people to deal
with the consequences of crime. It provides emotional and practical help for people who suffer
from the consequences of a crime. Its trained volunteers provides persons to talk to in
confidence; information on police and court procedures; help in dealing with other organizations;
information about compensation and insurance; and links to other sources of assistance. Persons
affected by crime can directly contact victim support for assistance. Usually, details of reported
crimes are passed to victim supports who later offer their services free of cost to victims and
others affected by the crime.

Organizations Providing Victim Support in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the services for the victims of crime are welfare based and limited in scope. In
the absence of strong legislative recognition of victim support services in Bangladesh, this
welfare-based service was originated in different forms and types. Services provide from both
Government Organization(GO) and Non-Government Organization(NGO). The NGOs started
providing victim support shortly after the 1971 war of liberation through providing relief
services and rehabilitation assistance to war-ravaged victims. Later, many NGOs introduced
services to support the victims, particularly women and children. The government started direct
services to victims by establishing Victim Support Centre(VSC)under police administration in
2009. Around 1,962 victims have got services from this center so far. The female investigating
officers of this centre have investigated around 601 cases related to women and children
repression (VSC, 2012). Some government organizations are also providing supports to the
victims through different forms.

The Multi-sectoral program on violence against women originated by the Ministry of Women
and Childrens Affairs is one of such service. A total of 1,998 victims received services by the
National Help Line Centre and 1,035 victims from One-stop Crisis Centre till
July2013(Newsletter, July2013). These support services are mainly for the women and children
victims who harmed by the different types of offences like sexual harassment, domestic violence,
rape, trafficking, and victim of acid throwing and so on. Besides GOs ,many NGOs have been
playing a vital role in this regard. Ain O Salish Kendra(ASK), Bangladesh Legal Aid Service
Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh Nationals Womens Lawyers association(BNWLA), Bangladesh
Mohila Parishad (BMP),Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT),
Association for Correction and Social Reclamation (ACSR), Bangladesh Manobadhikar
Bastabayan Sangstha(MBS) are some prominent NGOs providing support to the victims of
crime, particularly to the women and children.

Nature of Services for the Victims by various VSC IN Bangladesh

Legal Aid Services:

Legal Aid is regarded as essential component in providing access of victim to justice by ensuring
the equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial (Sherr, 2009). Legal
aid is provided by both GOs and NGOs. These services are extremely essential given the fact
that our justice system itself is patriarchal and classist, insensitive to the poor, especially women
and other vulnerable segments of the population (ASK, 2012). In addition, judicial procedures
are slow, costly, and corrupt and complex, which leads to inefficiency and delays with reluctant
giving importance to victims (ASK, 2012).

National Help Line Centre and Online Support:

The government has established a national helpline centre for violence against women and
children in order to help the women and children victim of violence regarding various
provisions, services and supports in time of crisis. The telephone # 10921 is using as helpline all
over the country. Any women or children who become victim of crime uses this number as their
safeguard. During April-June 2013, about 2,000calls received in this centre. Among them 274
calls asked for legal help, 14 for counseling support, 19 for medical support and 64for police
assistance. Total 1,627 calls received for providing different types of information related to
violence against women(Newsletter, July2013).

Psychological Counseling and Advice:

Criminal victimization causes short term or long term psychological effects on victims
depending on the type of victimization, amount of loss incurred, and trauma suffered(Wallace,
1998). Additionally, both primary and secondary victims are equally likely to suffer from
psychological disruptions (Schneider, 2001). Some of the psychological reactions are fear,
resentment, anger against offender, withdrawing from regular activities etc.(Williams, 1999).
Thus, psychological support to victims is an integral part of the victim support system. Some
GOs & NGOs provide psychosocial counseling to the victims aiming alleviation of mental stress,
insecure feelings, fear, and anxiety. Counseling enables survivors to gain emotional equilibrium
and gain confidence for decision-making (ASK, 2012). The organizations give these counseling
services by the professional counselors and trained personalities. Based on needs, different
therapies are used in counseling such as individual therapy, couple therapy, group therapy.
Health Care Facilities and Forensic Support:

Research indicates that victims of human trafficking, sexual violence, domestic violence, rape
and crime often have a wide variety of physical and mental health needs (Clawson, Dutch, &
Williamson, 2008).The physical health issues experienced by these victims include headaches,
memory losses, gastrointestinal problems, chronic pains, broken bones, head and neck trauma,
infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, dental or oral problems, respiratory illness,
unhealthy weight loss due to food deprivation and poor nutrition, pregnancy, pelvic
inflammatory disease, and other gynecological problems (Alexander, Kellogg, & Thompson,
2005; IOM, 2006; Raymond et al., 2002; Zimmerman, 2003; Zimmerman et al.,2006).In addition
to physical consequences, these victims often experience severe and complex mental problems
because of the trauma endured.

Shelter Services for Victims

Both GOs & NGOs are providing shelter services for the victims in Bangladesh. The shelter
services are of two types; temporary or short-term and mid-term & long-term. The VSC provides
short-term shelter facilities for those who do not have proper shelter facilities. The centre gives
shelter services for maximum five days. After five days, if needed, the victims referred to the
allied NGOs like Association for Correction and Social Reclamation (ACSR).Mid-term and
Long term shelter facilities are particularly provided for children and women victims. Different
NGOs are providing such services. During such shelter, victims receive legal solutions and get
orientation on family laws, womens rights, violence against women, etc. In the shelter house,
organizations also provide food, dress, health and medical checkup, recreational activities,
counseling, social reintegration, and basic training and so on.

Repatriate Victim of Human Trafficking from different Countries

Many organizations has proactively intervened to repatriate the survivors of trafficking. A good
number of Bangladeshi men, women and children are still languishing in different jails, safe
homes and are waiting for repatriation in India and other countries. BNWLA repatriated 131
survivors of trafficking from India and Middle East in the year 2010 and 2011. More than 173
survivors of internal trafficking were also rescued from different places in Bangladesh .A total
number of 1,235 survivors of trafficking both internal as well as cross border were rescued by
BNWLA during the repatriating year (BNWLA, 2012). It may be noted that 31% of survivors
were victims of cross border human trafficking.
Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Victim of Human Trafficking

Some NGOs provide safe rehabilitation to survivors of human trafficking, kidnapping,

smuggling etc. through their developmental centers. These shelter homes or house have carved a
niche and have gained respect and recognition for providing comprehensive psycho-social
support services including counseling, formal and non-formal education, joyful education,
vocational and skills training for livelihood for the survivors of trafficking whom fortunately
have had the opportunity of being rescued from the vicious cycle. NGOs also effectively assist in
prosecution by collecting detailed information from the alleged victim and her family members,
collect detailed information about the alleged trafficker, filling cases, assisting in investigation,
conducting cases in the courts, victim and witness mobilization for testimony, assisting public
prosecutions in conducting cases and ensuring justice for the victim.

Limitations & Challenges of Victim Support in Bangladesh:

The need to provide appropriate timely and professional support to victims of crime is a
significant problem not only in Bangladesh but also in many countries throughout the world. In
Bangladesh, there is no legal foundation and national policy that ensures victims rights,
particularly women and children have no access to appropriate support and treatment by the
justice system. The traditional offender-based justice system are liable not to emergence of
victim support in well-established manner. Traditionally the focus of law enforcement agencies
has been on apprehending criminals. That is why victim would be a forgotten people after
becoming victimization. Financial scarcity is a big challenge in this sector particularly for the
NGOs. Most NGOs in Bangladesh are providing victim support with foreign aid and grants. In
the absence of national policy, government has no headache to inspire and motivate the NGOs to
facilitate victim support program. Moreover, the government has not given permission to any
private organization to investigate the case related to victim of crime that is why private
organizations are not feeling comfortable to deal with such matter.

Recommendations:
It is evident from above discussion that although there are different types of services for the
victims in Bangladesh, those are insufficient, incomplete and ineffective. Facts presented above
indicate that victimization is increasing alarmingly in Bangladesh associated with increasing
number of crime and other like events. Thus, effective victim support system in Bangladesh is
essential by all considerations. Victim support system need to respond to the victims whether the
victim reported it or not. This is particularly important for Bangladesh society as there is
substantial threat from the offenders and social stigma associated with some kind of
victimization such as rape or domestic violence. Once a victim is under support system, she/he
should get support properly and completely. That is,it should cover, physical, mental,
economical and social support including rehabilitation in the society.
Conclusion:
Victims of crime suffer loss, injury and trauma at the hands of the offender. They also face added
harassment, trauma and losing dealing with law enforcing agencies and judicial system while
seeking justice/remedy. In Bangladesh, the police, courts and corrections do not respect the
rights of victims to safety, privacy, convenience and reparation. Police have much to gain by
treating the victims with respect, providing basic information and referring the victims to any
services that might help. Psychological training may be provided to the law enforcing agencies to
change their traditional attitudes so that they extend cooperation to the victims. This will
encourage victims to report crimes to the police cooperate during the investigation, overcome the
reticence of victims to report crime and improve public confidence in the police. It is essential
for the legislation and leadership that governs the police to include respect for victims as a
specific objective.