ITAS believes that every visitor to Ireland who experiences crime should be offered appropriate support and information in the immediate aftermath and at every stage within the criminal justice system. Our aim is to provide international visitors who become victims of crime and other traumatic incidents with immediate comprehensive support and information in order to make a positive difference to their experience.
Tourists face issues such as language barriers, isolation, culture shock and the lack of support structures. Many are not familiar with the laws of the country they are visiting or the criminal justice system. In addition, they may be left stranded without cash or passports and without the means to support themselves in a foreign country and this adds enormously to their trauma.
Cross border victims have specific needs and challenges that require immediate assistance. At ITAS we strive to meet these needs and we work with many agencies and organisations to ensure tourists receive comprehensive support in the aftermath of crime.
The service is the only dedicated national service in Europe offering specialist support to tourist crime victims. On average, 9 out of 10 tourists continue with their holiday after support from the service.