A voluntary group supporting victims of crime and their families through their court journeys is providing an “invaluable” service, the former State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy has said.
She was speaking on Thursday as Victim Support at Court (V-Sac), of which she is patron, celebrated the 20th anniversary of its establishment in 2005.
A lot has changed since the days when she saw some judges asking distraught families to leave the court because they got upset, Dr Cassidy said. She recalled families of murder victims being told to sit at the back of the court as a trial proceeded.
“They were told ‘this has nothing to do with you’ and given no information.”
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Having trained volunteers from V-Sac alongside victims and families in court, who explain what is happening and offer them a “safe haven” where they can collect their thoughts, is “a real comfort”, she said.
When she was State pathologist, she would talk, after her evidence was completed, to those families who wanted to discuss their loved one’s death. “It was usually not about the nitty-gritty, they would ask questions like, ‘was it quick, did he suffer?’”
Dr Cassidy was speaking to The Irish Times in advance of a packed event in the Four Courts on Thursday evening celebrating 20 years of V-Sac, a volunteer-led service providing support for victims, their families and prosecution witnesses.
It is funded by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and by donations.
The event was opened by Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Migration, and attended by members of the judiciary, including District Court president Paul Kelly, Courts Service chief executive Angela Denning, volunteers with the charity, gardaí, and other stakeholders and supporters.
This was “a moment to recognise 20 years of compassionate dedication in standing with victims, their families, and witnesses through some of the most challenging moments in their lives” and his department is proud to support V-Sac’s important work, the Minister said.
“We know that the courtroom can be an alien, intimidating and often overwhelming environment. The commitment of V-Sac’s volunteers is invaluable; their work directly strengthens our wider commitment to building a criminal justice system that is more responsive, more supportive and more sensitive to the needs of those who come forward.”
V-Sac chief executive Dympna Kenny said its message to victims is “simple”. “You don’t have to go through the court process alone. Thanks to the commitment of our volunteers and the support of our partners, we are here to stand with you every step of the way.”
Demand for the service continues to increase year-on-year, she said. Last year, 3,123 victims, their families/friends and witnesses attending court received support from V-Sac’s six full-time staff and more than 80 trained volunteers, up 15 per cent compared to 2023.
“V-Sac knows that behind every victim is a family member, partner, parent or child and the impact of the crime can reverberate far and wide, for a long time,” she said.
V-Sac was set up in 2005 by a victim of crime who had gone through the court process with no support. Determined to avoid that for others, they brought together a small group of volunteers, secured professional training and met relevant stakeholders including gardaí, staff from the Coroner’s office and Dr Cassidy to establish a service to support them.
Any victim of crime attending court can access free support and accompaniment from V-Sac volunteers. Its nationwide service includes giving the victim access to a courtroom in advance of the trial so they have a sense of the layout and where they will sit to give evidence, and providing a place to find comfort during the proceedings.
Under the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017, victims have the right to access free support at court.
