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Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is when the quality of someone’s life is affected by the actions of the people who live in their community.
ASB affects lots of people and is capable of impacting many people within one community.
If you’re experiencing anti-social behaviour and don’t know what to do, or need support in coping with what’s going on, we’re here to help. We have extensive experience of helping people deal with:
- noise nuisance;
- verbal abuse;
- threatening behaviour
- neighbour disputes;
- criminal damage;
- vandalism; and
- intimidation and harassment.
Instances of ASB often start off small, but they can go on for a long time and become very serious if unaddressed.
Not all anti-social behaviour is classed as crime, but there are many different forms of ASB, and some can lead onto becoming crimes.
Regardless of whether or not the ASB you’re experiencing is a crime, we can help you take action and offer vital support.
How ASB might affect you
We’re all affected by anti-social behaviour in a variety of ways, depending on the type of ASB that is being experienced.
Some common reactions to ASB include:
- feeling constantly on edge;
- always feeling anxious;
- being afraid to go out;
- feeling unsafe;
- feeling sad and upset;
- a desire to move house;
- changing your routines to avoid certain people; and
- trouble sleeping.
How can Victim Care help with ASB?
Dealing with anti-social behaviour is challenging, but we’ve got a wealth of experience in helping people like yourself cope and recover following ASB.
We’ll help you by:
- providing emotional support (both face-to-face and via the phone);
- speaking to agencies who can help on your behalf;
- keeping you up-to-date with what’s being done to address the problem;
- helping you understand the process behind tackling ASB and crime;
- providing advice about your personal safety and home security;
- helping you with mediation; and
- supporting you if the case needs to go to court.
If you need help dealing with anti-social behaviour, speak to us whenever you’re ready.
How to report anti-social behaviour
Knowing where to begin when you’re experiencing ASB is half the battle, but it’s important to tell the right people about what’s going on in your neighbourhood.
Depending on the situation, you can report ASB to:
- the local authority, which should have a department dedicated to dealing with ASB;
- your landlord, who has a duty to ensure tenants don’t behave in ways that break the tenancy agreement; and
- the police, if you think a crime has been committed.
When reporting ASB, you may be asked for evidence before any action can be taken. This is why it’s a good idea to keep a running diary of what’s happening, and a sound recorder running (if the complaint relates to noise nuisance).
If you’ve been affected by anti-social behaviour, contact us, to see how we can help you.