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Coming Forward

If you have been the victim of a crime you may have doubts about whether to report what has happened to you. You may feel upset or confused and have doubts about who you should speak to.

Getting help

Many people can help. You may wish to discuss your options with a victim support worker. The Victims of Crime Helpline (telephone: 1800 819 817) will put you in contact with a support worker in your local area or region.

You may wish to speak to the police. Remember that you can discuss your options with the police before you decide whether or not to formally report the crime to them.

If you do report the crime to the police, the main steps in the criminal justice system are:

1. a victim reports a crime to police
2. the police investigate the crime
3. the police may charge a person with the crime
4. a court decides whether the person is innocent or guilty
5. if the person is guilty, the court sentences a person, which may include a jail sentence.

During this process, a victim can apply for compensation and financial assistance to help them recover from the effects of the crime.

Reporting to police

If you believe that you are the victim of a crime or have seen a crime happen, think about reporting it to the police. There are good reasons for making a police report:

• to increase your level of safety
• to help the police charge the perpetrator and prevent them from doing it again
• to get access to short-term counselling (in some cases)
• to apply for financial assistance through the courts (in some cases)
• to make an insurance claim if you have had property stolen or damaged.

You can discuss your options with the police before you decide whether or not to formally report the crime to them. If you have been a victim of crime there is no legal obligation for you to report the crime to the police, but the information you give them could help to bring a criminal to justice. This could prevent further crimes and protect others from becoming victims.

Making the report

When you make a report, tell the police exactly what happened. They will give you a 'Notice to the Victim' form. This provides important information about services that can help you with financial assistance and counselling.

The 'Notice to the Victim' form will tell you the name of the police officer who is dealing with your case. This person is your contact if you have any questions about the police investigation.

You may also need this form to support an application for counselling or financial assistance from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal.