Safe haven for witnesses and victims of violent street crime |... http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23887678-safe...

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Mark Blunden
14 Oct 2010
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Britain's first legal advice centre

for witnesses of violent street
crime opened today in a bid to
challenge London's “walk on
by” culture.

The free and confidential charity

safe haven in Islington was partly
inspired by a mother's heart-
breaking account, published in the
Evening Standard, of how she
cradled her 14-year-old son after he
was stabbed to death.

Witness Confident also hopes to

challenge the notion that talking to
police is “grassing”.

The lawyer-run centre will deal

mainly with witnesses and victims in
Islington and Hackney but will not
turn anyone away who is affected by
violence in the capital.

It wants to help witnesses who are

unsure if the police can help, want Murdered: Shaquille Smith was killed in a random attack near his
to know if their evidence is “of home
value”, do not like talking to the
police or fear reprisals.

Guy Dehn, a barrister, set up Witness Confident after two murders of

teenagers close to his home in north London. He was first moved by the HSBC Sale
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1 of 3 27/01/2011 09:54
Safe haven for witnesses and victims of violent street crime |... http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23887678-safe...

Professor Chris Brewin, a trauma expert at University College London, www.QuickMoveNow.com

said: “Witnessing an event involving a serious injury or death of another
person is a potentially traumatic event. In terms of your mental health, Learn Your Human
you may subsequently be glad you went to the police.” Rights
Did you know you had
Witness Confident can be contacted on 020 7226 0968 or 30 Human Rights?
help@witnessconfident.org Check them out now!
HumanRights.com

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