Crimes Compensation
Compensation for victims of criminal acts.
Who can claim for victim compensation?
Primary victims
Secondary Victims
Related Victims
What kind of compensation is available?
Primary victims
Up to $20,000 in lost earnings
Up to $60,000 in Medical, counselling or other expenses including loss of income over two years including up to $20,000 for lost earnings
Primary victims - Special Financial Assistance payments
Category A level of violence - $4,667 - $10,000
Category B level of violence - $1,300 - $3,400
Category C level of violence - $650 - $1,300
Category D level of violence - $130 - $650
Secondary victims
Up to $50,000 in total compensation for Medical, counselling and other expenses including up to $20,000 for loss of earnings over two years.
Related victims
Up to $50,000 in total compensation for Medical, counselling and other expenses including up to $20,000 for loss of earnings over two years.
NB: Total benefit is capped to $100,000 in total for all related victims where there is more than one.
Victims who are elderly, impaired, mentally ill, intellectually disabled, a child under 18 or victims of related criminal acts may be entitled to special financial assistance.
This also applies to victims who have been infected with a very serious disease or have suffered a very serious or serious injury or a deprivation of liberty."
Does location matter?
It doesn't matter where you live now, or at the time of the violent incident, only that the violence occurred in Victoria.
If the violence occurred outside of Victoria we can still help, but the rules and assistance available will be through a different scheme.
We are located in South Melbourne and Port Melbourne, however, we support victims from all over Australia regardless of where they now live.
Further Information
Further information is available from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal itself, please click here.
The Victorian Department of Justice operates a Victims of Crime Service, you can access information on this service by clicking here.
The Victorian Department of Justice operates further services which can be accessed here.
Victoria Legal Aid has further information available here.
The Law Handbook is a resource for persons working in industry, and contains relevant information here.
The Victims of Crime Commissioner for Victoria provides further information here.
The County Court of Victoria contains further information here.
The Office of Public Prosecutions provides substantial information on the Court process for victims and support services that are available. This can be found here.
The Victorian Law Reform Commission provides background and information for legal practitioners here.
The victims of crime project of Southport Community Legal Service Inc is supported by the Victorian Government.
- In Victoria, victims of crime may be entitled to financial compensation for any injuries, pain, suffering, psychological harm, or financial distress suffered as a result of criminal acts.
- To be eligible to make a claim, the crime must have occurred in Victoria and be punishable by a sentence of imprisonment for the offender. In circumstances where the offender has not be identified by police, or has not been found guilty of the crime, you may still be eligible for compensation. The compensation payable is dependent on the type of crime, the injuries resulting from it, and the impact on the victim.
- Applications for compensation must be made through a tribunal called the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal or VOCAT.
- The Southport Community Legal Service can provide assistance to anyone in Victoria seeking advice on whether they can make a claim for compensation
Who can claim for victim compensation?
- The Tribunal recognises that that victims of crime are not limited to those who are the direct victim of an incidence of violence. There are categories of persons eligible for compensation who may have witnessed the crime, or are family members of the victim, and the crime has affected them.
Primary victims
- Primary victims have been directly affected. They may have been killed, injured, or have property damaged when:
- Assisting or attempting to rescue a victim of crime;
- Trying to prevent a crime, preventing a crime, or detaining a person they believe has committed a crime; or
- An act of violence is committed against them.
Secondary Victims
- Secondary victims are persons who are injured as a result of witnessing a violent crime, or coming to the aid and rescue of a primary victim. Where the primary victim is under the age of 18 years, parents and guardians of the primary victim may be considered secondary victims, and may be entitled to compensation.
Related Victims
- If the primary victim of a violent crime dies, close family members, dependents, and persons in an intimate relationship (spouses) with the victim may be entitled to compensation, and should contact our office.
- Where a person pays funeral expenses following the death of a primary victim, financial compensation may be available."
What kind of compensation is available?
- Benefits are paid either as reimbursement of expenses or loss of earnings, or, for primary victims, as special financial assistance payments. Acts of violence committed on or after 1st July 2007 may attract the following:
Primary victims
Up to $20,000 in lost earnings
Up to $60,000 in Medical, counselling or other expenses including loss of income over two years including up to $20,000 for lost earnings
Primary victims - Special Financial Assistance payments
Category A level of violence - $4,667 - $10,000
- Attempted murder; and
- Sexual penetration
Category B level of violence - $1,300 - $3,400
- Attempted sexual penetration;
- Indecent act with or assault against a person;
- Armed robbery;
- Aggravated burglary; and
- Demanding any ransom for release.
Category C level of violence - $650 - $1,300
- An attempt to commit a B-level act of violence;
- Threat of death;
- Conduct endangering life;
- Inflicting serious injury; and
- Robbery.
Category D level of violence - $130 - $650
- An attempt to commit a C-level act of violence;
- A threat of injury;
- An assault against a person; and
- An attempted assault.
Secondary victims
Up to $50,000 in total compensation for Medical, counselling and other expenses including up to $20,000 for loss of earnings over two years.
Related victims
Up to $50,000 in total compensation for Medical, counselling and other expenses including up to $20,000 for loss of earnings over two years.
NB: Total benefit is capped to $100,000 in total for all related victims where there is more than one.
Victims who are elderly, impaired, mentally ill, intellectually disabled, a child under 18 or victims of related criminal acts may be entitled to special financial assistance.
This also applies to victims who have been infected with a very serious disease or have suffered a very serious or serious injury or a deprivation of liberty."
Does location matter?
It doesn't matter where you live now, or at the time of the violent incident, only that the violence occurred in Victoria.
If the violence occurred outside of Victoria we can still help, but the rules and assistance available will be through a different scheme.
We are located in South Melbourne and Port Melbourne, however, we support victims from all over Australia regardless of where they now live.
Further Information
Further information is available from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal itself, please click here.
The Victorian Department of Justice operates a Victims of Crime Service, you can access information on this service by clicking here.
The Victorian Department of Justice operates further services which can be accessed here.
Victoria Legal Aid has further information available here.
The Law Handbook is a resource for persons working in industry, and contains relevant information here.
The Victims of Crime Commissioner for Victoria provides further information here.
The County Court of Victoria contains further information here.
The Office of Public Prosecutions provides substantial information on the Court process for victims and support services that are available. This can be found here.
The Victorian Law Reform Commission provides background and information for legal practitioners here.
The victims of crime project of Southport Community Legal Service Inc is supported by the Victorian Government.