If you have experienced a violent crime, you may be eligible for financial support through Victoria’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). This scheme replaced the previous VOCAT system and is designed to be more accessible and supportive for victim-survivors.
Financial assistance can help with costs related to your recovery, including counselling, medical expenses, and safety-related needs.
You may be eligible if:
This can include incidents such as:
Support may also be available for family members or witnesses who have been affected by a crime.
If you haven’t reported the incident, you may still be able to apply. This is considered on a case-by-case basis, especially where there are valid reasons such as:
RMs can support you in understanding your options, accessing counselling, and navigating the application process in a safe and confidential way.
The Victims Assistance Program offers support to individuals who have been or may be impacted by crimes, providing them with advocacy, support, and prevention strategies. To qualify for assistance from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT), an individual must meet specific criteria:
Crime often has a broader impact than just on the immediate victim. Witnesses to a crime and family members of those who are injured or killed can also be significantly affected. These secondary victims of crime may have the option to apply for crime assistance and compensation.
For eligibility, the crime must have been reported to the police within a reasonable timeframe. While the police don’t necessarily have to make arrests or lay charges, they must be satisfied that a crime has indeed occurred. In cases where the crime has not been reported to the police, there must be special circumstances demonstrated.
The crime must have taken place within the past two years. If the application is being made outside of this two-year timeframe, an extension request can be submitted. This is particularly relevant for crimes such as childhood sexual crimes and domestic violence, although it’s not limited to these types of offenses.
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If this is an emergency, call Emergency (Police/Fire/Ambulance) 000 in Australia
For crisis support, contact Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) in Australia, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300659467 in Australia or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
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RMs respects and welcomes people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, abilities and cultures.
