Violence in Sri Lanka appears so common place that never does a day pass without the media , both electronic and print, reporting of cases of murder , assault , robbery, rape, extortion and a varied range of criminal activity ranging from the loss of life to the loss of one’s possessions.

Often the media splashes the more sensational crimes and highlights human interest stories of the weeping and distraught family members, but then media focus is necessarily limited and soon the publicity moves on to some other more eye catching incident or often to a sensational political situation. In the process the problems facing the victims who have suffered due to the crime are forgotten. It also happens that seldom are all situation of violence and crime reported and a multitude of persons suffering from the consequences of some brutality or other suffer in silence with no helping hand to guide or assist them.

The situation that faces the victims of crimes was emphasized when in November 1985 the UN adopted by Resolution a Declaration of the basic principles of justice for victims of crime and abuse of power. The resolution defined victims as persons who individually or collectively have suffered harm , including physical or mental injury emotional suffering, economic loss or substantial impairment of their fundamental rights, through acts or omissions that are in violation of criminal laws operative within Member States, including those laws proscribing criminal abuse of power. It also stated that a person may be considered a victim under this declaration regardless of whether the perpetrator is identified, apprehended, prosecuted or convicted and regardless of the familial relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. The term "victim" also includes, where appropriate, the immediate family or dependants of the direct victim and persons who have suffered harm in intervening to assist victims in distress or to prevent victimization. The comprehensive resolution while defining the victim highlighted the need for such victims to be. treated with compassion and respect for their dignity. They are entitled to access to the mechanisms of justice and to prompt redress, as provided for by national legislation, for the harm that they have suffered. In order for this redress to be provided the resolution stated that Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and strengthened where necessary to enable victims to obtain redress through formal or informal procedures that are expeditious, fair, inexpensive and accessible. Victims should be informed of their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms. While emphasizing on the judicial procedures that should be adopted the resolution also spoke of restitution and said that offenders should, where appropriate, make fair restitution to victims, their families or dependants. Such restitution should include the return of property or payment for the harm or loss suffered, reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of the victimization, the provision of services and the restoration of rights. It also spoke of the assistance that should be available to victims who should receive the necessary material, medical, psychological and social assistance through governmental, voluntary, community-based and indigenous means and they should be informed of the availability of such assistance.

It is here that we need to have a more vital and committed volunteer group who could formulate such methods of assistance. We have in Sri Lanka various NGO’s and Religious institutions providing assistance to prisoners .A multitude of Prisoners welfare associations provide various programs from trauma counseling and religious meditations to attending to their well being but though there is a National Centre for Victims of Crime, which was established in 2002. its main purpose appears to provide better protection for victims ,to be ensure the safety of the victims and witnesses who come before the courts to give evidence and to enlighten the public and police and law officials concerning protecting the rights of the victims. However such an organization will not be able to operate to attend to the various traumas suffered by the victims or provide any short term assistance . Often the victims of crime are left bereft of the bread winner , or parents have lost the life of a beloved child due to carelessness, or a fixed wage earner has been robbed of his earnings and most of those affected have really no means to seek any redress or compensation. We don’t have any system of providing restitution through service or compensation programs by those responsible for the crimes and the victims are often forced to eke out a living with little or no assistance or guidance

In Europe and America ‘victims movements’ set up by NGO’s have had considerable success in putting the interest of crime victims on the political agenda. Pioneering groups of volunteers and activists laid the groundwork for financial, practical, and psychological support services that are now funded by government on a significant scale. These Crime Victims' Assistance Programs were developed to address the needs and the rights of innocent victims of crime and their families. It also addressed the needs of the survivors of homicide victims... The goal of these programs is to identify and provide direct comprehensive services to victims of violent crime including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, physical assault, robbery, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, stalking, wanton endangerment, families of victims of homicide, and victims of residential burglary.

Another consideration that makes it imperative for such a Victims of Crime Association is the number of criminal acts against the elderly who are particularly vulnerable in a society where the extended family system often no longer operates. Crimes against the elderly fall into two categories the first being those of robbery theft, fraud rape and assault and the second being neglect and abuse. Aging is a period of decreasing physical strength and agility and hence the elderly are particularly vulnerable and less able to resist.

In Sri Lanka we do have a plethora of NGO’s offering their services for different causes could not some committed and interested civic minded individuals get together in view of the present need where so many are suffering from the consequences of crime get together to form an volunteer organization to work out the ways and means to provide such victims with the assistance, understanding and compassion they need to re- enter the main stream of life. Those who would be interested in discussing the need for such a Victims assistance association.

Source: Daily Mirror

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