On behalf of the victim support office of the canton of Zurich, a project team from the ZHAW School of Social Work conducted a needs analysis regarding victim support services. The study considered changes in the legal framework as well as current social developments and trends.

The following questions were addressed by the team, which was led by project managers Sigrid Haunberger and Lea Hollenstein: to what extent do existing victim support services meet the current and future needs of the different stakeholder groups in terms of quantity and quality? What conclusions can be drawn for a needs-based victim support system?

Expanding support services

Based on a literature review and a combination of quantitative and qualitative surveys, the project team formulated several recommendations. According to these, the availability of support services for affected individuals should be increased and the services made known more widely. It is essential that these services are culturally inclusive, involve professionals with intercultural competencies, and ensure a gender-sensitive approach to counselling. 

Greater attention should also be placed on early intervention and support for children and adolescents experiencing domestic violence. According to the project team, targeted psychosocial support for victims involved in criminal proceedings is needed. Finally, victim support services should operate on an interinstitutional and interprofessional basis and be embedded in a networked approach. This requires close cooperation between advisory services as well as with local organisations and institutions.