AdVIC is a charity run primarily by volunteers. All our volunteers have been affected by the homicide of a loved one. AdVIC provides a free counselling service, by professional registered counsellors, so that we can refer people in distress for the essential assistance they need.
The counsellors provide their services across the country to the bereaved. We also have a chief executive officer, because as volunteers, we needed a focused, experienced individual to help us run the charity to the highest possible standards; despite our having very little funds and no employees.
As a volunteer organisation attempting to assist people in great distress, we naturally often encounter extremely upset individuals and horrendous situations. Despite the awful circumstances faced by those who contact us, we have only ever encountered great courtesy and appreciation from those we have tried to help.
We are always prepared to face difficult situations but recently we have had to endure something of a more malicious nature. There has been a sustained onslaught from a person who has become increasingly fixated on threatening certain individuals in our organisation. These threats have escalated to such a degree that reports have been made to the Gardaí. All transcripts of the texts and emails received from this person and detailed evidence of telephone calls and the threats made have also been noted/recorded.
It is shocking and saddening for all of us that anyone would feel the need to act in such a manner. We will not however allow those who selflessly dedicate their skills, time and reputations to AdVIC, to have to suffer in their personal and professional lives for doing so. AdVIC will take every action open to us to prevent such abuse from recurring. The affected persons are closely liaising with the Gardaí and lawyers and are exploring all legal avenues with them to bring these threats to an end.
We wish to express a heartfelt thanks once again all those who keep AdVIC going as the vigorous, active and vital organisation that it continues to be.
On behalf of the AdVIC committee.
29 May 2015