A hotline has been launched for victims of crime to seek legal help, emotional support and updates on their police reports.

The hotline - 116 006 - will be operated by the Victim Support Agency and the service will be free of charge. It will kick off on May 1 and will be open from 7.30am till 7.30pm every day, including weekends and public holidays.

Victims of crime will be able to call the number to seek advice from legal professionals, emotional support from psychologists and social workers and follow up with police on the reports they filed on their perpetrators.

Eventually, the government wants to extend the service beyond the current 12 hours, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said while launching the hotline.

"We would like to come to a point where we also tell victims when the perpetrator is sentenced to prison and contact them again when they are out of jail to make them aware that the person will be back in society," Camilleri said.

"It will not solve all the problems and it will not take away the pain of victims, but the more they are informed, the better."

When using the hotline, victims will be able to speak to professionals in confidence and be directed to the services that might help them the most within government entities or NGOs, Camilleri explained. The aim is to make sure that anyone who needs help gets it.

"Traditionally, the home affairs ministry was focused on fighting crime and criminals," Camilleri said.

"We still strive to strengthen that aspect and the latest figures show that last year crime was at its lowest in recent history. But we have also started to focus more on the victims because we want to prevent them from becoming victims for the second time."

3,000 victims in three years

In the three years since it was established, the Victim Support Agency assisted and offered a myriad of services to more than 3,000 victims of crime, CEO Brian Farrugia said.

Domestic violence was the most prevalent crime that victims sought help for, followed by fraud and theft, insults and threats, property damage and other physical violence.

The hotline is the latest addition to the agency's services and forms part of an EU-wide initiative that will see all countries adopt the same number to offer support to their victims of crime.

Victim Support Agency CEO Brian Farrugia. PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier.

New law to give heads up on partner's domestic violence convictions

Meanwhile, parliament is currently discussing a new law that would allow people to check with the police whether their partner has any history of domestic violence.

The law, which is a variant of what is known as Claire's Law in the UK, has the support of both government and opposition MPs and would introduce a register of people who have been convicted of domestic violence.

The register would not be made public, but those in a relationship who suspect that their partner might turn abusive can file a request with the Victim Support Agency to inquire whether they have been found guilty of domestic violence in the past.

The agency will only provide information on whether the partner had past domestic violence convictions and it will not force the inquiring person to break up.