A NATIONAL chorus of calls to provide better treatment for victims of crime has been joined by Maidstone and Malling Victim Support. The charity has highlighted the plight of local people this week as a national campaign got underway to provide more care for victims of crime.

Victim Support's national body has called on government agencies and other social care providers to recognise and provide for the needs of victims of crime. Maidstone and Malling Victim Support co-ordinator Jayne Davis said the local charity helped more than 3,000 victims of crime a year, but still more went unaided.

She added: "Everyone at Victim Support Maidstone and Malling is committed to providing the very best support to local victims of crime. But all too often the people we help come up against failures and lack of understanding from other agencies that should be helping them cope with their experiences.

"Crime and its effects are a problem for society as a whole and it is time for a co-ordinated response at national and local level to give victims the best possible package of support for all their needs."

The charity has highlighted three key areas where it claims victims of crime are being let down - housing, healthcare and financial support.

It claims pitfalls in the system have led to:

* A widespread failure to train medical staff about the additional support and information needs of patients who suffer injuries resulting from crime.

* Little or no prioritisation for people who need to be re-housed because of crimes affecting them in their homes or because of offenders living nearby.

* No provision to ensure that landlords provide secure and safe accommodation.

* A lack of measures to help make insurance affordable to those on low incomes.

* Social security rules mean that those receiving compensation for criminal injuries are likely to have benefits stopped.

Maidstone and Malling Victim Support is also looking to recruit more volunteers to help with its increasing workload. Anyone who would like to help should contact Jayne Davis or Jane Pearce on 01622 690103.