Fast facts
Victim rights
Whose rights are covered by the Queensland Charter of Victims’ Rights?
The Charter of Victims' Rights sets out the rights for victims of violent crime in Queensland. Violent crime includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats of violence, and all types of domestic and family violence. It does not cover rights of victims where the crime does not involve violence.
You have rights if you suffered harm because:
- someone committed a violent crime against you
- you are a family member or dependant of someone who died or suffered harm because a crime was committed against them
- you were hurt while helping someone else who was being harmed because of violent crime.
Do children or other family members of the victim have rights?
Yes, child victims have the same rights under the Charter of Victims’ Rights. You have rights if a member of your immediate family, or someone you are a dependent of, has died or been harmed as a result of violent crime. You have rights if you were hurt while helping someone else who was being harmed because of violent crime.
Do I have Charter rights if it’s my partner who has hurt me?
Yes. If you are a victim of domestic violence, you have rights under the Charter. Your partner does not have to physically hurt you for you to be a victim of domestic violence.
Do I have Charter rights if the person who hurt me was not charged with a crime?
Yes. It does not matter whether the person who hurt you has been identified, charged, arrested, prosecuted or convicted.
What are my rights if the accused person is not convicted?
You have rights even if the person who hurt you was not convicted. These include the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to have your privacy upheld and to be kept informed of the outcome of the prosecution.
Do I have rights if the crime happened outside of Queensland?
The Queensland Charter of Victims’ Rights only applies to crimes that happen in Queensland. You might have other rights if the offence happened in:
Who should uphold my Charter rights?
All government agencies must uphold your rights if you are a victim of violent crime. Agencies that receive money from the government and provide services to victims must also uphold your rights.
If you think an agency has not upheld your rights, you can make a complaint to that agency or to the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner.
Complaints, enquiries and feedback
Can I make an anonymous complaint to the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner?
No. To be able to deal with a Charter rights complaint, the Victims’ Commissioner needs your personal information.
However, you can provide the Victims’ Commissioner with anonymous feedback using the Victims’ Commissioner contact form. Your feedback may be used to help identify issues affecting victims.
Can I give feedback if I am not a victim of violent crime?
Yes. You can use the Victims’ Commissioner contact form to give us feedback.
Can I make a complaint to the Victims’ Commissioner if I have already made a complaint to the agency that did not uphold my rights?
Yes. If the other agency’s response was not satisfactory to you, you can make a complaint to the Victims’ Commissioner using the Victims’ Commissioner contact form. Please include details of your interactions with that agency and any available reference numbers.
Will the Victims’ Commissioner share my information with the agency I’m complaining about?
We manage all your information according to our Privacy Policy.
When the Commissioner is assessing or dealing with a complaint about the Charter of Victims’ Rights, we have to let the agency know that a complaint has been made, including who has made the complaint. We might also have to share information about your complaint so that we can find out more from the agency. Information will only be shared if necessary for the Commissioner to do their work.
If you would like to share your experience with the Victims’ Commissioner but don’t want us to share your information with the agency, you might prefer to provide us with feedback using the Victims’ Commissioner contact form.
If you are unsure how you’d like to tell us about your experience, you can make an enquiry on the Victims’ Commissioner contact form or phone us on 1800 714 100.
Can I make a complaint or give feedback to the Victims’ Commissioner about a non-government organisation?
Yes. Non-government organisations that receive money from the government and provide services to victims must uphold your rights. You can use the Victims’ Commissioner contact form to tell us about your experiences as a victim of violent crime, including where you think your rights have not been upheld.
I work in an organisation supporting victims of crime. Can I make a complaint on behalf of a client?
Yes, as long as you have the person’s permission, you can make a complaint on their behalf.
Help for victims
How will the Victims’ Commissioner help me?
The Victims’ Commissioner’s role is to promote and protect your rights as a victim of crime. When you tell us about your experiences through the Victims’ Commissioner contact form, the Commissioner may use that information to:
- promote the rights of victims of crime and the services available to victims of crime
- conduct research into matters affecting victims
- consult in relation to matters relating to victims
- provide advice to the Minister on issues affecting victims and the promotion of victims’ rights
- identify and review systemic issues affecting victims of crime.
You can learn more about how the Victims’ Commissioner handles Charter complaints.
What financial assistance can I get if I am a victim of crime?
The Victims’ Commissioner cannot give financial assistance to victims.
Contact Victim Assist Queensland to find out if you are eligible for financial assistance.
How do I find out what is happening with the police investigation or court process for a crime?
Victims of violent crime have the right to be informed about what is happening in their case. You should contact the investigating police officer who is handling your case. If you are unsure who the police officer is or need help to find their contact details, you can phone Policelink on 131 444.
If you have reported a crime to police, you can also request an update online.
Many organisations offer support for victims of crime. See the Directory of support services.