How VSEAC2026 Delivers: 7 Tangible Outcomes That Show the Impact of Europe’s Annual Victim Support Gathering 

For two days in Paris, victim support professionals, government representatives, law enforcement leaders and policymakers came together to address a critical question: how do we ensure that victim support services remain functional, funded and future-ready? 

Like all impactful gatherings, VSEAC2026 was about more than discussion. New commitments were announced, practical solutions were shared, and a common agenda emerged for strengthening victim support across Europe. 

Here is a snapshot of seven tangible outcomes from the conference. 

The biggest announcement of VSEAC2026 came from Tommaso Chiamparino, European Commission Coordinator for Victims’ Rights, who confirmed that the revised Victims’ Rights Directive had been formally adopted. 

For the victim support community, this marked the culmination of four years of advocacy and collaboration. Yet speakers were unanimous: adoption is only the beginning. 

Attention now turns to national transposition and implementation, ensuring that rights on paper become rights in practice. 

Ahead of the conference, Victim Support Europe’s Annual Report 2025 revealed that member organisations supported more than five million victims in 2025—a record number and more than double the figures seen in previous years. The increase reflects both growing demand and the expanding role of victim support services in responding to emerging forms of victimisation, particularly digital crime. 

Conference leaders called for coordinated action between governments, justice systems and frontline services to ensure that implementation of the revised Directive delivers meaningful change for victims across Europe. 

The conference highlighted that effective victim support begins with resilient organisations. 

Victim Support England and Wales, Victim Support Sweden and other leading organisations shared practical lessons on governance, workforce management and organisational adaptation during periods of uncertainty. 

Despite operating under very different structures, speakers converged on several common principles: clear purpose, strong governance, investment in people and a culture of learning. 

Participants also explored how organisations are adapting to funding uncertainty, rising demand and increasingly complex victim needs. Several organisations showcased reforms designed to improve consistency, strengthen quality assurance and centralise systems while maintaining local flexibility. 

The message was clear: sustainable services depend on strong organisational foundations.

Across Europe and beyond, victim support providers are increasingly focusing on accessibility, early intervention and proactive outreach. 

Examples from the Netherlands, France, Greece and the United States demonstrated how victims benefit when support is available without barriers, referrals or waiting lists. 

Victim Support Netherlands highlighted its “Zero-Base Model”, offering free and directly accessible support services that help victims before problems escalate. More than 60% of victims require only early information and guidance to navigate the aftermath of crime. 

Innovations presented included image-based explanations of victims’ rights, victim journey mapping exercises involving justice stakeholders, child-focused support centres, victim support dogs and multidisciplinary approaches for vulnerable victims. 

A recurring theme emerged throughout the session: while technology and innovation matter, victims consistently value one thing above all else—a trusted human being who remains alongside them throughout their journey.

One of the conference’s most innovative sessions used theatre to demonstrate what effective victim referrals look like in practice. 

Through a live performance involving representatives of police, healthcare, victim support organisations and compensation bodies, participants explored how victims move between services and where systems often fail. 

The session highlighted the growing importance of multidisciplinary approaches, where coordinated responses are increasingly becoming the norm across Europe. 

Audience discussions reinforced a shared challenge: support systems are often strongest within individual organisations but weakest at the points where victims are handed over between them. 

The session produced a clear takeaway for policymakers and practitioners alike: successful victim support depends not only on the quality of individual services but on how effectively those services work together. 

Victim support organisations across Europe continue to face growing demand while navigating uncertain funding environments. 

Leaders from France, Northern Ireland and Denmark shared practical approaches for securing long-term sustainability without compromising independence or victim-centred values. 

Examples included diversified funding models, strategic partnerships with the private sector, professional service agreements and social-impact initiatives. 

France Victimes demonstrated how partnerships with banks, retailers, transport providers and insurers can generate additional income while maintaining service quality and organisational independence. Victim Support Northern Ireland showcased how specialist expertise in trauma-informed practice can be translated into paid training services that strengthen both organisational resilience and external partnerships. 

A common concern remained the prevalence of short-term funding cycles, which limit long-term planning and innovation. 

Speakers called for greater recognition of victim support as an essential public service and argued that investment in victims contributes to safer, healthier and more resilient communities.

If victims are to receive high-quality support, the people supporting them must also be protected. 

Examples from New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Belgium, France and policing services demonstrated a growing shift towards wellbeing-first organisational cultures. 

Victim Support New Zealand presented one of the conference’s most striking examples of organisational transformation. Following a comprehensive redesign focused on staff wellbeing, role clarity and trauma-informed practice, employee turnover fell from 40% to 15%, while staff confidence and engagement increased significantly. 

Speakers emphasised that wellbeing cannot be reduced to isolated initiatives. Instead, it must be embedded into leadership, workload design, supervision, recruitment and organisational culture. 

Sessions also highlighted emerging awareness of moral injury, secondary trauma and the often-overlooked impact of victim support work on responders’ families. 

The consensus was clear: protecting frontline staff is not only a workforce issue—it directly improves outcomes for victims. 

One of the strongest messages emerging from VSEAC2026 was that future-ready services are not technology-first—they are victim-first. 

Moderated by Élia Faustino, innovation and digital transformation leader at askblue, the session explored how victim support organisations are using technology, AI and digital platforms to strengthen services, improve accessibility and better support frontline professionals. The discussion was framed around a simple principle: technology is a tool, and its value should be measured by whether victims and those supporting them are better served because of it. 

Speakers showcased four different approaches to building future-ready services. 

Carmen Rasquete, Executive Director of APAV and Treasurer of Victim Support Europe, reflected on the organisation’s long-term digital transformation journey, from the introduction of digital case management systems in 2008 to the development of APAV Campus (training platform). Her presentation demonstrated that meaningful innovation is not a one-off project but a sustained organisational commitment to improving learning, coordination and service quality. 

Maatu Arkio-Lampinen, Head of Service Development at Victim Support Finland (RIKU), presented Invictus, an AI-powered tool designed to support victim services while remaining firmly grounded in organisational values. The discussion highlighted the importance of ethical decision-making in AI development and the need for organisations to define not only what technology can do, but also what it should do. 

Anna Juusela, CEO and Founder of We Encourage, introduced AinoAid, an AI-enabled support platform providing accessible guidance and mental health support for people affected by interpersonal violence. Her presentation focused on how technology can extend access to support, particularly outside traditional service hours, while ensuring that human intervention remains available whenever victims need it. 

Throughout the session, speakers repeatedly returned to the same challenge: balancing innovation with ethics, accessibility and human connection. Participants explored where AI can enhance victim support, where human expertise remains irreplaceable, and how organisations can ensure that digital tools empower rather than replace frontline services. 

The discussion also reinforced that innovation in victim support is only beginning. These themes will be explored further at Victim Support Europe’s upcoming Tech4Victims event in Genk, Belgium, on 20 November 2026, which will bring together victim support professionals, law enforcement and technology leaders to examine how emerging technologies can responsibly strengthen victim-centred services.

A recurring theme throughout VSEAC2026 was that victim support is ultimately about turning values into systems—and ensuring those systems work for people in real life. 

The formal adoption of the revised Victims’ Rights Directive marks a significant milestone, but the conference demonstrated that legislation alone is not enough. 

Implementation requires strong organisations, sustainable funding, coordinated services, healthy workforces and responsible innovation. 

As victimisation becomes more complex and demand for support continues to rise, Europe’s frontliners are already building the foundations needed to meet the challenge.

To further extend the impact of VSEAC2026 beyond the two-day gathering, a conference report and a photo archive are available online on the conference website.