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Victim Support Europe: Minimum standards for 116006 helplines

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Minimum Standards for 116 006 Helplines Introduction

In 2007, the European Commission adopted Decision 2007/116 on the introduction of additional

reserved numbers beginning with ‘116’. The Decision set out the expectation for EU Member States

to introduce harmonised services of social value, which were to be made available as a ‘service

meeting a common description to be accessed by individuals via a free phone number, which is

potentially of value to visitors from other countries and which answers a specific social need, in

particular which contributes to the well-being or safety of citizens, or particular groups of citizens, or

helps citizens in difficulty1.’

In 2009, the Decision was amended to introduce the harmonised number 116006 for victims of crime.

The Decision set out the expectation for the victims’ helpline to enable ‘victims of crime to get

emotional support in such circumstances, to be informed about their rights and about ways to claim

their rights, and to be referred to the relevant organisations. In particular, it provides information

about (a) local police and criminal justice proceedings; (b) possibilities of compensation and insurance

matters. It also provides support in finding other sources of help relevant to the victims of crime2.’

According to the Commission Decision – and rooted in the practice of victim support organisations,

victim support helplines are basic societal services that are made available to all victims of all crimes

with the aim of providing assistance, information, and emotional support. Helplines for victims of

crime give victims the opportunity to talk about their experience, to ask questions and to be

counselled on their recovery. Helplines, in general, offer non-judgmental confidential support and

information for those affected by crime3.

Provision of this basic service through the harmonised EU number 116006 will provide a minimum

level of support to all victims of all crimes across the EU. To achieve a uniform approach and ensure

that victims across the EU have the same level of access to this service, it is necessary to ensure that

all 116006 helpline providers meet and maintain the same minimum standards.

1 European Commission (2007) Commission Decision of 15 February 2007 on reserving the national numbering range beginning with ‘116’ for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value (2007/116/EC). Official Journal of the European Union, L49/30, 17 February. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu 2 European Commission, 2009. Commission Decision of 13 May 2009 on the selection of operators of pan-

European systems providing mobile satellite services (MSS). Official Journal of the European Union, L 149/65.

C(2009) 3746. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32009D0449 3 VSE: Establishing 116 006 helplines for victims of crime across the EU, p. 5

Victim Support Europe: Minimum standards for 116006 helplines

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As the European umbrella organisation for victims of crime, Victim Support Europe, together with its

member organisations providing support to victims through 116006 services, sets out these minimum

standards which have been modelled on the requirements of the Victims’ Rights Directive.

Aims and Vision

To ensure that as many victims as possible have access to support, it is important to establish a

universally accessible entry point – one that enables the victims to reach out to support services at

their own time and pace. Helplines offer a broad geographical coverage, an advantage for those living

in rural areas or who cannot easily travel to victim support offices. Telephone and other means of

distance counselling facilities provide convenient, accessible, and valuable sources of support for

victims, and provide a flexible, credible, and cost-effective service4.

The purpose of these standards is to ensure that victims of crime receive appropriate information and

support through the harmonised EU number 116006. The standards will also apply to other forms of

distance support services – such as chat, video calls or use of social media and other instant messaging

and voice-over IP providers that may be promoted as part of the 116006 service-pack.

Establishing minimum standards for 116006 services will ensure consistent, high-quality service provision across different jurisdictions within a national victim support framework. In that vein, the present standards aim to guarantee that all victims, regardless of the type or circumstances of the crime, or their own situation, have access to national 116006 services that can facilitate their right to criminal justice and compensation, as well as help them reach other types of support services they might need.

Definitions

116006 helpline service 116006 helpline service (also referred to as: 116006 helpline, helpline or helpline provider) is a free

EU-wide public service that ensures the provision of support to all victims of all crimes across EU

Member States, thus contributing to the well-being and safety of victims. The 116006 helpline

service can be provided via telephone or other means of communication at a distance, such as chats,

video calls or through the use of social media and other instant messaging and voice-over IP

providers that may be promoted as part of the 116006 service-pack.

As a minimum, the 116006 helpline service serves as a compassionate and knowledgeable point of

contact, offering victims emotional support, information and referrals to alternative providers. 116006

helpline services are established primarily to assist victims in managing their own response to crime

as well as facilitating the reporting of crime to the authorities and navigating criminal justice systems,

referring them to other support services and assisting them in accessing compensation.

4 Gribble et al., What is known about the effectiveness of social sector freephone helplines? Rapid evidence-

based literature review (2018), Allen Clarke, available at: https://thehub.swa.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Effectiveness-ofsocial-sector-freephone-helplines-FINAL.pdf

Victim Support Europe: Minimum standards for 116006 helplines

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116006 operators The 116006 operator (also referred to: call taker or responder) is a physical person – 116006 helpline

service employee or volunteer, who is assigned to responding to the contacts by the public.

Information Providing information in the context of the 116006 helpline service refers to the act of providing the

victim with clear and concise factual explanations to ensure that they understand their rights and to

facilitate the identification of their needs, with the aim of supporting them in making informed

decisions. Provision of information involves responding to inquiries from victims and offering factual

information about, as a minimum: their rights in the context of criminal proceedings, the pathways to

reporting criminal offences to the authorities, the services that are available, and the pathways to

compensation.

Emotional support Emotional support in the context of the 116006 helpline service refers to the compassionate and

empathetic assistance provided to victims of crime, with the primary aim of addressing their

emotional well-being and promoting healing. It involves creating a safe and non-judgmental space

where victims can freely express their feelings, fears, and concerns, while receiving support to

overcome or minimise the negative effects of the crime. Emotional support provided through 116006

helplines is of a limited scope and duration and should not be seen as a replacement for therapy that

some victims may need or confused with psychotherapy that can sometimes be provided to

individuals via phone, chat or other means of communication at a distance.

Practical support Practical support in the context of the 116006 helpline service refers to the provision of assistance via

phone, chat or other means of communication at a distance, which is aimed at addressing the practical

needs and challenges faced by victims of crime. It involves sharing practical resources, such as

recommending tips to victims on how to stay safe, how to block their bank account or giving other

advice of practical nature that can help victims resolve issues within the framework of a phone

conversation, video call or a chat.

Individual Needs Assessment Helpline providers will conduct an individual needs assessment of the victim at first contact, in order

to establish follow-up actions such as referral.

Referral Referral in a context of the 116006 helpline service pertains to the process of ensuring that victims

are brought into contact with and provided support by other victim support professionals to address

specific needs or concerns that have been assessed during the call and that fall outside the scope of

the services that the helpline can provide to the victim. It involves identifying the needs of the victim

and recommending appropriate resources or personnel who can provide them with more targeted

support, minimising, as much as is within the control of the helpline provider, their waiting time and

formalities regarding their access to support.

Referral can be internal – when the support is provided to the victim through the resources available within the organisation providing the 116006 helpline service, or external – when referral is ensured through collaboration with other organisations and/or professionals who are not part of or employed by the 116006 provider.

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Standard 1: 116006 services are accessible to all victims

1.1 116006 helpline service is provided to all victims. The helpline must have national coverage,

without any geographical limitations, to enable victims to contact the service wherever they find

themselves on the sovereign territory of a country.

1.2 116006 helpline service should be provided without any requirement of prior registration.

Victims should not need to go through any identification, registration or screening process before

accessing the service. Dialling the 116006 number allows them to reach someone who can help.

Automated questions to identify the accessibility needs of the victim will not be considered as being

contrary to this requirement.

1.3. 116006 helpline service must be accessible to everyone, including to persons with disabilities

and cross-border victims. To this end, the helpline service will be made available in different formats:

via phone, chat and other means of distance communication, able to accommodate the use of sign

language or assistive technologies and available in easy-to-read format. The 116006 helpline service

will be made available in the official language(s) of the Member State. Where possible, the helpline

will be made available in English to at least provide to the victim with information. When a victim has

specific language requirements, helplines can make use of interpretation services.

1.4 116006 helpline service must be available free of charge, without the victim incurring any charges

from the helpline provider.5

1.5 116006 helpline service is provided to all without any distinction or discrimination. Victim

support helplines must not restrict the scope of their activities by declining to assist victims on the

basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religious belief, political opinions, culture, disability, the

nature of their complaint or for any other reason unless they can demonstrate that another existing

organisation already provides an effective service for the group of victims which has been excluded.

1.6 116006 helpline service is made available to all direct and indirect victims. The helpline is made

available to persons who have directly experienced crimes (direct victims), as well as those who might

have been affected by the crime by being related to the direct victim or by having been exposed to

the impact of the crime by suffering other consequences (indirect victims). Helpline organisations

should make it clear in all their documentation, including their constitution and incorporation

regulations, and communications that they serve all victims, without exception6.

Standard 2: 116006 services are available to all victims

2.1 116006 helpline service should be open for victims’ calls at least 40 hours per week. However,

an effort should be made for the opening hours to not coincide with the Member State’s usual

working hours and should include options such as: opening early in mornings, later in the evenings

or during the weekend. Unless the helpline is open 24/7, opening hours must be well publicised and

5 Victims in the EU with a non-EU telephone number may face additional costs depending on the telecom

provider. It is worth noting that if a victim calls 116 006 from outside the EU, the call may incur additional fees.

6 VSE: Establishing 116 006 helplines for victims of crime across the EU, p. 18

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strictly abided by. During periods of unavailability, victims must be advised as to when the service

will next be available.

2.2 When 116006 helpline services are unavailable, victims must be offered other options, including

online resources and the possibility to request being contacted during opening hours. The automated

message shall also direct callers in immediate danger to contact emergency services and explicitly

clarify that the 116 006 helpline is not a crisis line.

2.3 At least 85% of 116006 helpline calls/contacts received within opening hours must be dealt with.

For calls that cannot be immediately responded to within the opening hours, a system must be in

place to ensure that the callers will either have the opportunity to wait, leave a message, or reach the

service by means of a different communication channel.

2.4 All calls received during the opening hours must be picked up not later than within 30 minutes,

subject to staff capacity, call durations, and the availability of call transfer mechanisms to other

operators.

2.5 The call/contact will last as long as is required for the victim to get the support they need.

However, helplines may limit the duration of the call in exceptional situations. This limitation should

never be less than 45 minutes. Any limitation in the duration of the call will be notified to the victim

in advance.

2.6 116006 helpline service providers can temporarily restrict access to the helpline to disruptive,

disrespectful and abusive callers. The rules regarding this restriction will be made publicly available,

and each restriction and its duration will be announced to the victim in advance. Temporary

restrictions cannot last longer than 3 months.

2.7 To ensure support to cross-border victims, each national 116006 helpline will strive to provide

at least basic information regarding the rights and services to victims in all EU Member States. In

addition, 116006 helpline service providers are required to facilitate cross-border referrals, either by

referral to the victim’s national helpline or by using cross-border referrals to other services that the

victim might need.

Standard 3: 116006 services provide support to all victims

3.1 116006 helpline service must be offered using a victim-centred approach. To achieve this,

helpline providers will engage with victims in a way that prioritises listening, avoids re-traumatisation,

and systematically focuses on their safety, rights, well-being, expressed needs and choices, in this way

giving back as much control to the victims as is feasible and ensuring the empathetic delivery of

services in a non-judgmental manner7.

3.2 The primary task of the 116006 helpline support provider is to ensure the victim’s safety, before

addressing any of their other needs. It should be made clear from the outset that this is not an

emergency helpline. When it has been established that the victim’s physical safety is jeopardised, they

7 UNHCR, A victim-centered approach, available at: https://www.unhcr.org/what-we-do/how-we- work/tackling-sexual-exploitation-abuse-and-harassment/victim-centred-approach

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should be referred to the appropriate emergency services. In certain situations, or specific crimes in

question (e.g.: calls by children, or domestic violence calls), a risk assessment may be required.

3.3 116006 helpline service will provide victims with emotional support, delivered by phone calls

and other means of communication at a distance.

3.4 Helplines must offer comprehensive information and should be able to provide victims not just

with detailed information about their rights and how to apply them, but also on police and

criminal justice proceedings. The helpline should provide time-sensitive information such as

guidance on compensation, evidence gathering or support in contacting the authorities. This also

includes information on referral to organisations better placed to cater to the needs of the victim’s

specific situation.

Standard 4: 116006 services are confidential

4.1 Helplines protect victims’ data and ensure confidentiality while respecting the requirements of

national legislation, such as reporting obligations in cases of, for example, contact with children in

need of protection. They must ensure transparency as to how and to what extent their services are

confidential.

4.2 The helpline can offer multiple options to safeguard victims’ privacy. Services provided by the

116006 helpline will never be conditional to the victims’ disclosure of their identity or personal

identifiers (e.g. location, detail of the crime etc.). This guarantee of privacy may include the guarantee

of anonymity either by default (when helpline is designed to ensure anonymity for all callers) or by

choice.

4.3 116006 services are provided in full compliance with GDPR and any other data protection

legislation and obligations. GDPR rules will ensure that only the most essential personal data is

processed and that access to such data is strictly controlled. Processing of personal data will be

collected in a manner that will minimise secondary victimisation, including through relying on all legal

bases for the collection of personal data, and not exclusively on victim consent.

4.4 Calls to the 116006 helpline may be recorded only with victims' full consent. Provision of support

cannot be conditional to a request to record the call. Recordings should only be kept for quality control

and complaint handling requirements, and – in the case of compulsory referral – for evidence.

Recordings cannot be kept for longer than three months, and access to the recording should only be

available to the victim, the helpline supervisor and the call operator.

4.5 116006 services will collect a standardised minimum of anonymised data from the victims,

following a unified data collection methodology, to ensure pan-EU implementation of the service.

This data might include, as a minimum, information related to the victim and to the call itself. Victim

related data to be collected might include at least: the type of crime, victim’s gender, age and prior

experience with the criminal justice system. When it is not appropriate to ask the victim about their

age and gender, the helpline operator will be trained to either assume or not respond to these

elements. Data related to the call might include at least: waiting time, duration of calls, and any

referral or follow-up done post-call.

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Standard 5: 116006 services are provided by professional organisations

5.1 116006 services are provided by legal entities that are able to effectively provide this type of

service to all victims of all crimes and have the support of all victims of all crimes as one of their core

missions. Provision of 116006 support does not have to be the sole purpose for which the legal entity

is set up.

5.2 116006 services cannot be provided by entities set up with the purpose of profit-making. This

requirement is related not only to the provision of 116006 support, but to all other services provided

by the legal entity.

5.2 116006 services can be provided by professionals employed by the service provider and/or by

volunteers. Both employees and volunteers should be recruited using a process that will ensure that

they demonstrate possession of the empathy and resilience required to work with victims of crimes.

Standard 6: 116006 helpline operators undergo professional training

6.1 116006 providers will ensure that both professionals employed by the service provider and

volunteers are adequately trained. Call takers will be trained to handle the different and complex

situations, such as handling communication with people in various distressful situations, they may

encounter in their work.

6.2 Training will ensure that the helpline operators develop and maintain the skills needed to treat

victims appropriately. These skills will include treating the victim in a respectful, empathetic,

professional and non-discriminatory manner when using distance support means – the telephone,

chat or other channels of communication used by the 116006 service. The skills to be obtained will

include at the minimum: active listening and empathetic communication, how to act in emergency

situations, and how to handle inappropriate calls.

6.3 Training will ensure that helpline operators obtain the knowledge that is needed to provide

victims with the minimum level of support. This knowledge will enable the operator to appropriately

comply with the present standards, notably Standards 3 and 4, and will enable the operator to find

for and provide the victim with relevant information, to assess their needs and to provide them with

a referral as appropriate.

6.4 116006 helpline operators will receive a basic induction training of at least 40 hours of effective

learning. The basic training will at least include the five essential elements of support delivered by

the helpline: Practical Support, Information, Emotional Support, Compensation, and Referral. This

basic training can be provided over a period of several weeks and can include supervised practice calls

with victims.

6.5 After having received their basic training, 116006 helpline operators will attend at least four

hours of refresher training every year. This training can be organised for a range of topics, based on

a training needs assessment that will be regularly conducted with staff and volunteers.

6.6 116006 helpline services will ensure that the knowledge and the skills of helpline operators are

verified. This will include reviews of both professional staff and volunteers on completion of their

initial training, as well as during their career as a helpline operator. Verification of specific criteria

may take place periodically or on an ad hoc basis.

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Standard 7: 116006 service providers conduct regular monitoring and evaluation

7.1. 116006 helpline services must establish mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the quality of

their victim support by use of internal and external evaluation and monitoring mechanisms. Internal

and external monitoring and evaluation mechanisms may include a range of measures including

appointing internal and/or external evaluators or service auditors, conducting surveys and otherwise

collecting feedback from victims, helpline operators and other stakeholders (e.g. referral partners,

criminal justice system etc.). Monitoring and evaluation may also include the engagement of external

‘mystery’ callers.

7.2. Monitoring must be carried out continuously, and an evaluation of the 116006 helpline services

must be conducted at least once a year. Annual monitoring will result in the delivery of a regular

monitoring and evaluation report.

7.3. Victims will be provided with opportunity to give feedback on the services received; such

feedback should be used to continuously improve helpline services. Victim feedback can be collected

by asking callers to rate their call; inviting callers to complete surveys, when appropriate; recording

and analysing calls for quality control purposes, without compromising victims’ privacy and

confidentiality etc. Mechanisms, such as surveys and a system for their use, should be easily

identifiable and able to collect victims’ feedback.

Standard 8: 116006 service providers provide a path for complaints and grievances

8.1 Every caller to 116006 helpline services is able to file a complaint or grievance against the

service provided. The grounds for complaint may be limited, within reason, to the type of service

provided and the quality of call received.

8.3: Grievance mechanisms will be transparent and readily identifiable to callers through

appropriate channels of communication. This will include at least the ability to send a written

grievance by post; easy access to an online grievance form on the 116006 helpline website and by

scheduling a call with the assigned 116006 service provider point of contact.

8.4: Complaints and grievances will be subject to objective consideration and should be responded

to within a period of not more than 30 calendar days upon receipt. This consideration will be

provided either by internal or external controllers and will result in a reasoned reply to the

complainant.

8.5 Justified grievances must result in meaningful outcomes for the victim and/or the 116006

helpline provider. The consequence can be to investigate the situation responsibly, accept the

complaint, or to set out other measures deemed appropriate by the grievance mechanism.

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Standard 9: 116006 helpline service providers ensure visibility and awareness-raising

9.1 116006 helpline service must be easy to access, visible and well-publicised. This is achieved by

means of promoting the helpline through multiple online and offline channels via a multi-sector

approach. This includes trying to ensure that the national helpline is easily found when using common

search engines.

9.2 116006 helpline services proactively provide information on their existence and availability, and

the services they offer. This is carried out using a variety of channels, including partnerships with the

police, healthcare providers, criminal justice institutions, support organisations and services.

9.3 116006 helpline services regularly reach out to potential victims of crimes by means of

campaigns and programmes. These activities are conducted using the data collected through

Standard 4.5 and based on results of evaluations conducted through Standard 7. In conducting these

activities, special attention will be paid to those who are underserved.