Victim Support Scotland have started a new campaign to raise awareness of victims and the public rights if they are affected by crime.

The campaign comes after data revealed that more than 3,380 people in Glasgow were referred to Victim Support Scotland last year.

Working with Police Scotland and other partner organisations, Victims Awareness Week, which runs from February 19 to 25, aims to inform the public about the free support and information available to victims and witnesses of crimes.

With recent changes to data protection legislation in 2018 restricting automatic referrals, there has been a 90 per cent decrease in the number of people receiving auto-offered information and support.

The charity said this lack of automatic referrals has created a rift between the number of recorded crimes and the number of people receiving support.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: "When someone is affected by crime, it can have a massive impact on their life, affecting them emotionally, mentally, physically, financially and practically.

"It can be very traumatic, so having the right information at the right time is critical.

Glasgow Times: The campaign was launched following data which showed that more than 3,380 people in Glasgow were

“In Scotland, anyone affected by crime has a right to support and information, regardless of whether the crime was reported to the police or not.

"While not everyone affected by crime will want to exercise these rights, we are worried about the gap between the number of crimes recorded and the number of people seeking support.

“By working closely with Police Scotland, victim support organisations and directly with victims, we hope to raise more awareness of victims’ rights and reach more people in the year ahead. We want everyone to know that if they or someone they know is affected by crime, Victim Support Scotland can help.”

Faroque Hussain, chief superintendent at Police Scotland, said the police are there to support people.

He said: “We understand how distressing it is when someone is a victim of crime, and we are here to support you.

"We will provide you with a victim care card which will include the name of the officer dealing with your case and information about your rights including access to support services. If you want us to refer you directly then we can do that."

He said Police Scotland will support victims and survivors, and will keep them updated on the progress of their case.

The police, he said, will also explain how they will deal with cases.

He added: “Depending on the circumstances of the crime we will consider your needs and try to ensure those needs are met, and if necessary, work with our relevant partner agencies.

"We would always encourage anyone who has been the victim of crime or who is a witness to crime, to seek the support of Victim Support Scotland.”

Victim Support Scotland offers aid within Glasgow City and provides in-court support to vulnerable witnesses at both Glasgow High Court and Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Local support offices can be contacted on 0141 553 2415 or through victimsupport.glasgowcity@victimsupportsco.org.uk.

People affected by crime can either be referred by Police Scotland or they can contact the charity directly by visiting www.victimsupport.scot or by phoning 0800 160 1985.

Victims Awareness Week runs alongside the European Day for Victims on February 22.