A GROUP working with the victims of crime has called on the Government to offer counselling services to jury members who may be traumatised by hearing distressing evidence during trials for violent or abusive offences.
Sally Hanlon, founder and director of Support After Crime Services (SACS), said it was important to recognise that jury members could sometimes be distressed by having to consider disturbing and upsetting evidence.
“Sometimes at the end of trials involving evidence about violent and upsetting acts, they [jurors] are simply excused further duty and sent home.
“But they may be emotionally upset and traumatised by some of what they have heard. They need support too,” she added.
Ms Hanlon was speaking at the official launch by the Lord Mayor of Cork Terry Shannon of the new SACS website which is designed to help the victims of crime and their families cope with the trauma inflicted upon them.
“We cannot walk in the shoes of these families who have lost loved ones, but we can walk with them on their journey and help to support them,” said Ms Hanlon whose service is offered to crime victims in Cork, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford.
The number of referrals to the service has risen from just over 600, when it was established in 2006, to 1,321 last year.
Referrals relating to burglary accounted for 436 of last year’s referrals, followed by 257 for assault, 159 for homicide or manslaughter and 153 for rape or sexual assault.
Some 731 of the 1,321 referrals in 2010 were females while 590 were males, with the largest number of referrals being made by gardaí. These accounted for 744, followed by family members or friends, who accounted for 338, with some 74 victims of crime referring themselves.
Among those who attended the launch at the service’s offices on Anglesea Street in Cork was Gemma Hayes from Limerick whose son, Pat (32) was stabbed and left to bleed to death by a 16-year-old youth as he walked to his Southill home after watching a match in September 2007.
“I had never been in a court in my life and then I had to face into watching a prosecution over my son’s killing,” Ms Hayes said. “We got a life sentence that day but Sally drove up to Limerick to meet me and helped me get through every step of the process.”
For further information on the service, visit supportaftercrimeservices.ie