Victim support groups 'may cause harm'

Northern Ireland Assembly Members today heard fears that ‘‘mushrooming’’ victims’ groups could unwittingly be causing more harm than good.

Victim Support Chief Executive Oliver Wilkinson told a committee meeting at Stormont that research should be carried out on the practices of support groups and said too little had so far been done ‘‘because it’s being driven more by fashion than the needs of people on the street’’.

He also said he had serious questions about the wisdom of techniques involving ‘‘trying to get inside people’s heads’’ in dealing with the legacy of violence.

Mr Wilkinson said the time had come for the appointment of a victims’ commissioner to oversee victims groups, which currently number more than 50 in Northern Ireland.

In a presentation to the Committee on the Centre, which is probing British Government strategy on dealing with victims, he said: ‘‘What we have seen is a mushrooming of support organisations for people affected by our conflict. I think that’s understandable.

‘‘But I have this worry that even those who set out to do good can sometimes cause harm.

‘‘My concern is therefore that those of us who work in this field ought to subject ourselves to rigorous research.’’

Mr Wilkinson also complained that the subject was ‘‘politicised’’, with people being labelled according to how they had suffered.

He has already urged against differentiating between victims - such as those affected by paramilitary violence as opposed to state violence.

But he spoke out against the current proposal to apply the term ‘‘victims’’ only to those affected by the troubles.

‘‘In a sense, a new pecking-order might be established in addition to the one we already have,’’ he said.