A CAMPAIGN is being launched following a new report to increase awareness of the need for victim support.

The detailed findings of "Criminal Neglect: no justice beyond criminal justice" released last week, calls for government and social services to face and recognise the needs of victims of crime.

The report highlights lack of public spending and lack of awareness as the major problems.

Vivienne Bickham, branch manager for Victim Support Lancashire, said: "Very often the people that we help come up against failures and lack of understanding from other agencies that should be helping them cope with their experiences."

Government spending on Victim Support represents less than one per cent of total public spending on law and order and 96 per cent of victims of crime receive no help other than from the services of Victim Support.

The main areas identified for improvements in the campaign are medical staff training, prioritising people who need to be rehoused, and adapting social security payments for victims of criminal injury.

The campaign hopes to see a co-ordinated push at national and local level to give victims the best possible support.