A person who is a victim of an admissible criminal offence, including a person who intervened to prevent an offence, may receive financial assistance based on the category they belong to and which is provided for in the Act to assist persons who are victims of criminal offences and to facilitate their recovery.
A criminal offence is a serious crime such as:
- murder
- aggravated assault, that is, the use of violence against another person without their consent
- armed sexual assault
Categories of victims
There are several categories of victims:
- A person who suffers physical or psychological harm as a result of a criminal offence
The harm may be a bodily injury or the psychological impacts caused by a criminal offence or by a person’s intervention prevent the offence. The harm may be physical or psychological. -
A parent or a person who has parental authority over a child who is injured or who dies as a result of a criminal offence
-
A child of a parent or a person who has parental authority who is injured or who dies as a result of a criminal offence
-
The partner of a person who is injured or who dies as a result of a criminal offence
-
A dependant of a person who is injured or who dies as a result of a criminal offence
-
A witness to a criminal offence or to the intact scene of the offence
An intact scene is the physical location where a criminal offence was committed prior to the arrival of a police officer, peace officer, firefighter, paramedic or other first responder. -
A close relation of a person who is injured or who dies as a result of a criminal offence
Victims' close relations and dependents may receive financial assistance to help them cope with the consequences of the criminal offence.
What is a close relation?
The close relations of a victim who is injured or who dies are:
- the victim's brother or sister
- the victim's grandparent or grandchild
- the child of the victim's partner
- the partner of the victim's parent
- the child of the partner of the victim's parent
- the significant person designated by the victim or, if they are deceased, a person who demonstrates a significant relationship with them
What is a dependant?
A dependant is someone 50% of whose needs were provided for by the victim who died or who was injured as a result of a criminal offence.
Victims following an intervention to prevent an offence
In the case of an intervention related to a criminal offence, the following people are also considered to be victims:
-
A person who suffers physical or psychological harm:
- while trying to prevent a criminal offence, either alone or when assisting a peace officer
- while arresting or trying to arrest the person who committed the criminal offence, either alone or when assisting a peace officer
-
A parent or a person who has parental authority over a child who dies or is injured as a result of a criminal offence in which they intervened
-
A child of a person who intervenes who dies or is injured as a result of a criminal offence
-
The partner of a person who intervenes who dies or is injured as a result of a criminal offence
-
A dependant of a person who intervenes who dies or is injured as a result of a criminal offence
-
A close relation of a person who intervenes who dies or is injured as a result of a criminal offence
A victim who qualifies in more than one category is entitled to all the possibilities for financial assistance. When the same assistance is offered in more than one category, the victim is entitled to the most advantageous assistance only.
IVAC is responsible for the qualification and processing of applications for qualification. Qualification for the plan must meet certain
eligibility requirements.