Learning from Lived Experience

The Victims of Crime Commissioner (VOCC) is proud to have embedded a dynamic Lived Experience program into delivering her statutory functions. The program, which started in 2024, includes an advisory group and a lived experience experts’ network of victim survivors. The program is coordinated by the Victim Engagement team.

The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) has six members and meets on a bimonthly basis. The LEAG provides advice to the Commissioner on issues affecting victim survivors, as well as contributing to specific projects and resources developed by the VOCC Office.

Most recently, the LEAG contributed to the development of the 2025 -2026 Victims’ Survey . LEAG members provided input into the survey structure, individual questions, and proposed ideas for promotion, including the addition of a QR code.

The Lived Experience Experts Network (LEEN) is a panel of about 75 people who are victim survivors of crime. Many LEEN members have provided detailed information to the Commissioner and the Victim Engagement team about their experiences and views of changes needed to improve systems for victims of crime.

The following is a snapshot of the range of issues LEEN members have provided feedback to the Commissioner about:

·       the accessibility of agencies for victims of crime with disabilities (Victims’ Charter Principle 6)

·       treatment of LGBTIQA+ victim/survivors (Principle 6) treatment of LGBTIQA+ victim/survivors (Victims’ Charter Principle 6)

·       the experiences of victim survivors who have been misidentified in family violence proceedings

·       their experience of gun violence

·       their experience of incarceration

·       barriers to accessing support services for victims of offences heard in the magistrates’ court

·       barriers to accessing financial assistance

LEAG and LEEN members have provided input into reviews of legislation and programs for victim survivors. This includes their significant contribution to the Victims Charter review. They are looking forward to seeing the response of government to the recommendations.

In 2025 the Victorian Victims of Crime Commissioner commissioned an independent evaluation of the Commissioner’s lived experience functions. 

Overall, the evaluation found that the lived experience function at the VOCC is valuable to the work of the Commissioner and the Office. The approach to implementing the LEAG has been largely effective, and is resulting in change in how the VOCC incorporates victims’ perspectives into its work. The evaluation highlighted some opportunities to further develop the LEEN component of victim engagement.

The Commissioner learns from the LEAG and LEEN, and they enhance her understanding of the lived experience of victims of crime. This knowledge assists the Commissioner to effectively use her advocacy powers under the VOCC Act 2015 to meaningfully promote improvements to the justice system for victims of crime.