Victims of crime may apply for assistance from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT).

1. Pre-Requisite To Assistance From The Tribunal
2. Act of violence. A crime against the person in the form of a criminal act or omission punishable by imprisonment must have occurred in Victoria. The act covers only violent crimes.
   • Suffers injury. As a result of the act of violence, the victim must have suffered one or more of the following; actual physical bodily harm;
   • mental illness or disorder or an exacerbation of a mental illness or disorder (whether or not flowing from nervous shock); and
   • pregnancy
3. Report to police in reasonable time. The act of violence must have been reported to the police in reasonable time.

Who Can Apply ?

A primary victim: a person who is injured or dies as a direct result of the act of violence committed against them.

A secondary victim: a person who was present at the scene of an act of violence and who is injured (whether physically or psychologically).

A related victim: applies only were the primary victim has died as a direct result of an act of violence- here, a related victim is a person who at the time of the act of violence was a close family member or a dependant or a person who had an intimate personal relationship with the deceased primary victim.

Time Limits

An application must be made within two years of the occurrence of the act of violence or, in the case of an application by a related victim or a person who has incurred funeral expenses, within two years of the death of the primary victim.

However, the Tribunal may except out-of-time applications in certain circumstances.