Victims of crime will now be able to receive up to $60,000, with some eligible for up to an additional $25,000 in certain circumstances.
Victims of crime will also be able to choose to receive a recognition statement from the state – acknowledging the effects of the crime and expressing condolences.
For the first time, the new online scheme can be accessed in the privacy of your own home and will replace the courts-based Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) – helping to minimise further trauma for victims, as they no longer having to attend court or face perpetrators.
The reform also removes the current harmful practice of pooling financial assistance for families and will instead give assistance individually to each family member. This will significantly reduce potential conflict between family members and allow them to apply for assistance in their own timeframe and in accordance with their own needs.
Application timeframes have also been extended from two years to three years, or for sexual offences or family violence cases to 10 years – giving victims more time to assess their needs.
Under VOCAT there were strict definitions around who was considered family – the FAS will expand eligibility to recognise Aboriginal kinship relations, LGBTQI+ relationships and other family members that an applicant may consider to be close family, for example a sister-in-law.
Information: victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au.
