Crime Compensation or Crime Victim Compensation is a state government program to reimburse victims of violent crimes, such as assault, aggravated burglary, domestic violence and so on, their out-of-pocket expenses as the result of being a victim of crime as well as in some instances a cash compensation, known as Special Financial Assistance or Compensation for Pain and Suffering. Every Australian state has their own individual crime compensation or crime victim compensation program.
In Victoria there are over 100,000 violent crimes each year which may be eligible to access crime compensation but last year only around 6000 victims of crime made an application for compensation. For assistance please call (03) 94159492 or go to victimsofcrime.com.au and complete the online enquiry form.
The Victorian Government has just announced new initiatives to help victims of violent crime, including $28.5 million in funding and an increase in support services. $6 million will go towards strengthening the role the Victims of Crime Commissioner to better identify and investigate any systemic issues that victims experience when in contact with the justice system and $18.9 million to the Office of Public Prosecutions to recruit more social workers to support victims of violence before and during trials.