What does freedom mean for victims of crime?

On the 17th January 2014 our 16-year-old son Dan took ecstasy at a rave. Called to his bedside we watched as he slowly lost his fight for life. Dan was the immediate victim of crime – the supply of a Class A drug – and he paid the ultimate price. We as his parents are indirect victims, wounded by the shrapnel of Dan’s death.

There is no payment that would put us in the position we were in before the 17th, no act that would restore Dan to us. So we choose to look instead at making this very bad thing do as much good for others as it possibly can. We educate young people of the risks of drugs, and we speak to people in prison. We talk about the impact our choices can have, and about how precious every individual is, inside and outside of prison.

We pay forward because we cannot be paid back. This is freedom. And when people tell us we have made a difference it begins to feel like joy.

Tim and Fiona Spargo-Mabbs

Tim and Fiona volunteer their time to share their story as victims of crime during the Sycamore Tree course, helping men and women in prison start to understand the negative ripple effects of crime. You can read more of their story here. If you would like to share your own story as a victim of crime, please get in touch with the Support Team to find out more.