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Primary Victim

 A primary victim is a person who is injured or dies as a direct result of:

• an act of violence committed against him or her; or
• trying to arrest someone he / she believes, on reasonable grounds has committed an act of violence; or
• trying to prevent the commission of an act of violence; or
• trying to aid or rescue someone he / she believes is the victim of an act of violence.

A primary victim may be awarded up to $60 000, plus any special financial assistance, to cover expenses incurred (or likely to be incurred) for: -

• reasonable counselling expenses;
• medical expenses incurred as a direct result of the act of violence;
• loss of earnings of up to $20 000 for a period of no more than 2 years from the act of violence;
• loss of or damage to clothing worn at the time of the act of violence;
• other expenses actually and reasonably incurred, or likely to be incurred, by the victim to assist in his / her recovery from the act of violence.

Special Financial Assistance

Special Financial Assistance was introduced to pay certain victims of crime limited financial assistance as a symbolic expression by the State of the community's sympathy and condolence for, and recognition of the act of violence suffered by them as victims of crime.

Special Financial Assistance is only available to Primary Victims.
The Tribunal may award up to $7500 for Special Financial Assistance in the following circumstances:

• Criminal acts which occur on or after 1st July 2000
• Childhood sexual abuse which occurred on or after 1st July 1997
• Childhood sexual abuse which occurred prior to 1st July 2000 (where no application has been made to the Crimes Compensation Tribunal) provided that:
• • the alleged offender has been committed or presented for trial after 1st July 1997; or
  • where the charge is heard and determined summarily irrespective of the outcome; or
    the person charged dies without the charge being determined.

Offences are organised into four categories in order to claim for special financial assistance.

Each category has a prescribed minimum award level and a prescribed maximum award level.

Higher awards will be reserved for more serious offences, such as rape, incest, and sexual penetration of a child. Less serious offences, such as common assaults will attract lower awards.