ONE of Scotland’s biggest charities is facing allegations of a bullying culture and staff shortages which have left it close to collapse.
Victim Support Scotland, a charity designed to help victims of crime, is accused of harassing a former employee because she raised concerns about financial irregularities. The organisation receives more than £3 million a year from the taxpayer throug
h the Scottish Executive.
Isabel Clark, 49, from Aberdeenshire, claims she was sacked after being singled out as a troublemaker and a "whistle-blower".
She said: "I had raised issues about money which I wanted answers to. I had asked questions and from that point, my life was hell. I was bullied and harassed. They saw me as a whistle-blower and they wanted rid of me.
"The money was not being distributed the way it should have been. The central office had access to money which should have gone to local branches of victim support."
After filing a report suggesting the service was in dire straits, Ms Clark, an area co-ordinator for Victim Support in Aberdeenshire, was refused a request for more staff.
She was suspended in May 2001, but threatened to take the charity to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal. It is understood the charity has since agreed to an out-of-court financial settlement.
Ms Clark, who was employed by the charity for six years, said her workload was so excessive that her health has suffered permanent damage. She claims that only a handful of volunteers were trained to deal with child abuse and sexual assault cases, which meant unpaid helpers were taking up the shortfall.
"I was getting 28 referrals a month. At its worst, I had 240 cases ranging from murder to rape and child abuse," she explained.
"Some of the volunteers were not trained to deal with rape and murder cases. We just did not have the staff."
Ms Clark took time off work after suffering from stress but on her return, she found it increasingly difficult to continue.
"They called me selfish when I had more than 200 cases and I couldn’t cope," she added. "They treated their staff in an arrogant and uncaring way. I felt like a pack horse who didn’t matter. Ironically, Victim Support has created its own victim."
Her allegations have been passed to the Scottish Charities’ Office. A spokesman said: "Anyone with concerns about a recognised charity in Scotland can report to the Scottish Charities Office."
A spokeswoman for Victim Support Scotland last night refused to comment on the allegations. She said: "I can confirm that Isabel Clark was a former employee in Aberdeenshire.
"We were in discussions with her about an employment issue and that has been resolved. In relation to employment matters, we have nothing to add."
A new body will be created next month to regulate charities as part of a package of reforms.
OSCR, the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator, is expected to protect the public from rogue charities.
The independent regulator will have sweeping powers to monitor and investigate charities.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said: "Funding to Victim Support Scotland is reviewed on a regular basis and the charity is required to report to the Executive.
"The new body, OSCR, will monitor, investigate and support Scottish charities."
