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HistoryProvinciallyIn 1987, the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, as part of a multi-ministry initiative through the Ontario Women's Directorate, began three pilot projects in Ontario to test a new method for assisting police officers to meet their concerns about victims of crime. Utilizing trained and accredited volunteers, the Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Service (VCARS) in Algoma District, Brant County and Frontenac County offered twenty-four hour a day, mobile crisis response teams to assist victims at the request of police officers.In 1989, an independent evaluation of the VCARS projects concluded that victims, police officers, community agencies and volunteers themselves were in agreement that the provision of immediate assistance and timely appropriate referral did help to reduce trauma and enhance recovery from the effects of victimization. In 1982 the Canadian Urban Crime Survey, conducted in seven major urban centers by the Ministry of the Solicitor General Canada with the assistance of Statistics Canada, provided much insight into the victims of crime, as defined by those persons who had themselves been victimized. Services valued highly by the survey respondents included immediate, at the scene support, practical help and information. Such assistance helped victims to feel more confident that they could deal with both the consequences of the crime and their emotional reactions to the crime. Police also reported that victims who have had their own needs attended to effectively are better able to recall details important to on-going police investigations. Further substantive documentation proved that victim assistance programs are an effective and valuable means of helping victims of crime and tragic circumstance. Victim services are available through community based VCARS programs or independent police based victim assistance programs. In 2009, there are currently 48 VCARS organizations providing much needed crisis support to victims of crime, tragedy and disaster in the Province of Ontario. LocallyVictim Services of Perth County was incorporated as a registered charity in 2002 and held its first training session in 2003.
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