EMOTIONAL distress as the result of a crime is perhaps the most difficult thing to deal with. Possessions can be replaced, scars eventually heal, but trauma is a recurring theme for most victims.

So anything that helps people recover and get on with their lives again has to be welcome. Which is why we are pleased at the launch of a new phone service, dedicated to helping victims of crime in North Yorkshire.

Especially important is the ability for staff to refer callers to specialists in such fields as sexual or domestic abuse. It takes a brave person to come forward after becoming a victim of crime. Let’s hope this new service helps them and furthers the cause of justice at large.