Page 754 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 8 March 2016
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victims of a property crime in a domestic violence context, including where a protection order is breached, will be able to apply for payments, such as the cost of safety measures for their personal security or for relocation costs. These domestic violence victims are currently not eligible for any payments under the current scheme.
The new scheme provides four categories of assistance for victims of crime, including immediate need payments, economic loss payments, recognition payments and funeral expenses. For the first time victims of crime will be able to access immediate need payments to ensure they receive support when they need it most. These payments are in a capped amount of financial assistance for specific expenses that victims often immediately face, having become a victim of crime. For example, someone who is assaulted and needs urgent dental treatment but cannot afford to pay for it can apply for an immediate need payment, and the commissioner will be able to pay the dentist directly, allowing the person to have the treatment they need when they need it without having to find the money up-front and then seek reimbursement.
The commissioner will also be able to pay, for example, to have home security installed for a victim of domestic violence who has been threatened with further harm by the perpetrator. Simplified application processes will apply to immediate need payments to ensure these payments are made as quickly as possible and when the victim needs it.
The second type of payment will be an economic loss payment, and these payments will cover a wide range of expenses incurred by a victim of crime as a result of an offence. For example, a person who requires surgery as a result of an attack will be able to apply for an economic loss payment to cover any medical expenses. A person who has been sexually assaulted and needs significant psychological support will be able to seek an economic loss payment in this context as well.
The third type of assistance available will be a recognition payment. The current scheme provides special assistance payments to a very limited range of victims. These are currently only victims of sexual assault and victims who have suffered a serious permanent injury. A high threshold is currently applied to determine whether the injury is permanent and currently only two to three payments are made under the permanent injury criteria every year.
The inequitable distribution of payments under the current scheme means that many victims of crime are simply excluded from special assistance payments. For example, under the current law a man who was stabbed and suffered significant back pain that prevented him from sitting for long periods, sleeping properly or bending over was not eligible for special assistance. And neither was a woman who suffered injuries to her eye socket and face as the result of an assault. She had multiple surgeries and developed depression which prevented her from continuing to work.
These circumstances are simply unfair, and that is why this new scheme is being implemented. Under the new scheme both of these people would be able to access financial assistance, including a recognition payment to acknowledge the significant impact that the crime had had on their life. The recognition payments included in the bill will be available to a much broader range of victims of crime than payments under the existing scheme.
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