Victims of crime and persons adversely affected by crime

The Victims Charter makes a distinction between “Persons adversely affected by crime” and “victims”.

“Persons adversely affected by crime” is the broader category, and includes:

• Victims
• A family member of a victim
• Witnesses to criminal events

Principles 1, 3 and 4  of the Victims Charter apply to persons adversely affected by crime. These can be summarised as:  

• Principle 1 - treatment with courtesy, respect and dignity
• Principle 3 – special treatment of disadvantaged persons
• Principle 4 – information on available services and support

Victims sit within the broader definition of “Persons adversely affected by crime” and all principles within the Victims’ Charter apply. The Victims Charter defines a victim as:

• a natural person who has suffered injury as a direct result of a criminal offence, whether or not that injury was reasonably foreseeable by the offender; or
• if a person has died as a direct result of a criminal offence committed against that person, a family member of that person; or
• if the person referred to in paragraph (a) is under 18 years of age or is incapable of managing his or her own affairs because of mental impairment, a family member of that person; or
• in the case of an offence against section 49M of the Crimes Act 1958 (grooming for sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16), the child and a family member of that child.