People at heart: A guide to communicating with people affected by crime
A guide for anyone who communicates with people affected by crime, offering practical insights and guidance on how to communicate in a clear and human way.
Principles for communicating with people affected by crime
Empathetic
People can only feel supported if they feel listened to.
Putting people’s needs at the heart of communications shows kindness, compassion and understanding that they might be experiencing trauma at the time they receive the message.
Easy
People may need help to understand information when they have been affected by crime.
Using clear words and a clear format makes communications easy to understand and access. It recognises that people who’ve experienced trauma may find it more difficult to process information.
Empowering
People are experts in their own lives.
Giving options and guidance on the possible implications or outcomes of those options allows people to make their own informed choices. Empowering people in this way helps them to navigate any processes they may need to go through.
Contact
Email: VictimsPolicy@gov.scot