Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal

Secondary Victim

A secondary victim is:

  • a person who is present at the scene of a violent crime and who is injured as a direct result of witnessing that crime; or
  • a person injured as a direct result of subsequently becoming aware of an act of violence and who is the parent/guardian of the primary victim who was under the age of 18 at the time the criminal act was committed.

 

A secondary victim may be awarded up to $50,000 for reasonable expenses incurred (or likely to be incurred) in recovery from the crime for:  

  • reasonable counselling expenses;
  • medical expenses incurred as a direct result of the violent crime; and
  • in exceptional circumstances, loss of earnings of up to $20,000.

Where the secondary victim is under the age of 18 and witnesses a violent crime involving a family member or is the parent/guardian of a child who was under the age of 18 at the time the criminal act was committed, the Tribunal may include in the amount awarded (within the $50,000 limit) an amount for other expenses actually and reasonably incurred, or reasonably likely to be incurred, to assist him or her in their recovery from witnessing the crime.


© Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal, State Government of Victoria

Source URL: https://vocat.vic.gov.au/assistance-available/types-victims/secondary-victim
Last Reviewed 26 Sep 2016