Services
Victim Services Counselling
Victim Services Counselling
The Victims Support Scheme is available to anyone who has experienced an act of violence in NSW.
Services
Victim Services Counselling
Victim Services Counselling
Transform your life and achieve your goals with professional and personalized support.
Support for Victims of Violent Crime
Experiencing or being connected to a violent crime can have a profound impact on your sense of safety, well-being, and day-to-day life. Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure about what to do next is completely normal. The Victims Support Scheme in New South Wales offers support and counselling to ensure validation and your needs are fulfilled.
Understanding Acts of Violence
An act of violence refers to any behaviour that is criminal and causes harm, whether physical or psychological. This harm can come from direct violent actions like assault, sexual assault, or domestic violence. It’s important to understand that support is available even if there are no charges or convictions as long as there’s evidence that an offence occurred. What matters most is the impact the violence has had on you.
Types of Victims and How They Are Supported
The effects of violent crime don’t just affect the person directly harmed; witnesses and family members can also experience deep trauma. Here’s how NSW Victim Services addresses different needs:
Primary Victims
Primary victims are those who’ve been directly injured or traumatised by a violent crime. Primary victims include people who were hurt while trying to stop a crime, assist someone in danger, or apprehend an offender.
Support Available for Primary Victims:
- Counselling: A safe space to work through trauma, rebuild a sense of security, and begin healing.
- Financial Assistance for Immediate Needs: Covering urgent costs related to your safety and recovery.
- Economic Loss Assistance: If the violence has affected your ability to work or manage financially.
- Recognition Payment: Acknowledging the harm and impact you’ve experienced.
Navigating these options can feel overwhelming, but I’m here to guide you through the process and ensure you get the support you need.
Secondary Victims
Secondary victims include people who’ve been traumatised after witnessing a violent crime or parents and guardians who’ve been emotionally impacted by learning about the harm to their child.
Support Available for Secondary Victims:
- Counselling: To help you process trauma, manage feelings of helplessness or fear, and find ways to cope.
If you’re a secondary victim, reaching out for help is okay. Counselling can provide support and tools to help you manage the emotional impact of what happened.
Family Victims
Family victims are the immediate family members of a loved one who has died as a result of violence. Family victims include spouses, de facto partners, parents, children, and siblings. Losing someone suddenly and violently can be incredibly traumatic, and professional support can make a significant difference.
Support Available for Family Victims:
- Counselling: To help process grief, loss, and trauma.
- Immediate Financial Assistance: For urgent needs that arise.
- Justice-Related Expense Assistance: To help cover costs related to court or coronial processes.
- Funeral Expenses: Financial support for the funeral of your loved one.
- Recognition Payment: This is for eligible family members to acknowledge the impact of the loss.
If affected, extended family members, such as grandparents, aunts, or cousins, may also be eligible for counselling. Grief and trauma can take many forms, and I’m here to offer compassionate support tailored to your experience.
Healing takes time; if you or someone you care about has been affected by a violent crime, reach out. Together, we can find a way forward, helping you feel safer, more understood, and supported during these challenging times.
How I Can Support You
As a trauma-informed counsellor, I’m committed to walking alongside you on your path to healing. Whether you need a safe space to talk about what happened, practical guidance navigating the support options, or strategies to manage the impact on your everyday life, I’m here to listen and help. Your story and needs are at the heart of everything I do, and I’m dedicated to supporting you in a way that feels right for you.
Healing takes time; you don’t have to go through this alone. If you or someone you care about has been affected by a violent crime, reach out. Together, we can find a way forward, helping you feel safer, understood, and supported every step of the way.
Victim Services Scheme
Victim Services Scheme
Full information about the Victim of Crime counselling program and other supports offered by the Department of Justice can be accessed at www.victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au