Page 804 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 2010
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SupportLink is primarily funded by the Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing) to provide a single referral gateway for Police operations.
(12) JACS has no direct influence over SupportLink regarding the external providers that are utilised via the e referral process. The choice of providers is a professional decision made by SupportLink referral coordinators as they match client need and choice with providers.
(13) There is a range of victim services in the ACT that are provided by government and non-government agencies. The Domestic Violence Crisis Service and the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre provide specialist crisis intervention and support services to victims of family violence and sexual assault. The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre also offers counselling services. Both agencies have agreements with ACT Policing relating to attendance at incidents attended by police.
VOCAL (ACT), a community organisation that engages volunteers, is funded by the ACT Government to provide a range of support services and information to victims and their families as they access services or deal with the criminal justice system. VOCAL is not funded to provide counselling to victims.
Victim Support ACT provides specialised, professional counselling and other therapeutic interventions such as physical rehabilitation, that other services do not offer. Victim Support ACT also provides justice advocacy services to clients involved in justice processes.
As part of the Wraparound Support Program, Victim Support ACT works with the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre and the police to ensure that victims of sexual offences are offered support and information as early as possible after they have been victimised. Regular meetings and communication between these three agencies help to avoid the duplication of support services to victims.
The DPP Witness Assistance Service (WAS) provides support to victims and witnesses. The DPP WAS has criteria for the category of victims that they are able to assist. Victim Support ACT works with the WAS to determine which agency is to provide support through the criminal justice process and to ensure that victims are supported in the justice process.
I am unaware of any waiting lists that you refer to or any under-utilisation of funded services. Indeed, I am advised that all victim support services are fully utilised.
(14) One of the Government’s highest priorities is looking after victims of crime. The Government directs funding to both government and non-government agencies to provide quality services to assist in improving victims’ recovery.
The Government funds a range of government services to victims including: the Victims Services Scheme, Victim Support ACT, Victims of Crime Coordinator, the restorative justice program, the Family Violence Intervention Program, the Child at Risk Assessment Unit program and Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care. There are also several victim assistant/support positions within justice agencies, such as ACT Corrective Services, the office of the DPP and ACT Policing.
Community bodies which receive Government funding to support victims of crime include: the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, Domestic Violence Crisis Service,
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