Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal

What Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal does

The Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) was a Victorian State Government statutory tribunal established in 1996 under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 (Vic), operating under the Department of Justice and Community Safety. Its core function was to administer financial assistance to primary, secondary, and related victims of violent crime in Victoria, covering expenses such as medical treatment, counselling, lost earnings, and funeral costs. As of 18 November 2024, VOCAT ceased accepting new applications and was replaced by the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), with VOCAT continuing only to finalize pending applications and process outstanding authorised future expenses and variations.

The organization's service portfolio extended beyond financial assistance to include the Child and Youth Witness Service (CYWS), delivered through the purpose-built Garragarrak Witness and Victim Support Centre in Melbourne CBD and eight themed regional remote witness rooms across Victoria. CYWS prepares children and young people under 18 to give evidence in criminal proceedings, supported by remote witness facilities with Woi Wurrung naming, and a Court Dog Program featuring an accredited support dog named Kiki. Delivery channels span the FAS online portal (fas.justice.vic.gov.au), the FAS Helpline (1800 161 136), email support, and in-person service through partner organizations.

VOCAT operated on a fully government-funded model with no fees charged to applicants and no commercial revenue streams. The customer base comprised individuals — primary victims of violent crime, secondary/related victims, and child/young witnesses — rather than enterprise customers. Strategic partnerships with the Office of Public Prosecutions, Victims and Witness Assistance Service, and the Intermediary Program anchored the service within the broader Victorian justice pipeline, while a referral network including Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Kids Helpline, Headspace, and culturally-specific services such as 13YARN and Rainbow Door extended the support ecosystem.

Name

Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal

Legal name

State Government of Victoria

Website

https://vocat.vic.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Victorian State Government tribunal established in 1996 to administer financial assistance to victims of violent crime, replaced by the Financial Assistance Scheme in November 2024 while finalizing pending applications and operating the Child and Youth Witness Service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Victim Assistance Services

NAICS

Courts (922110)

akta.pro primary industry

Victim Services & Witness Assistance (Justice System) (BPAIAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Court Services & Operations (Clerks, Records, Jury, Interpreters) (BPAIAFAH)

Keywords

• Government victim assistance
• Financial assistance scheme
• Victim compensation services
• Court witness support
• Statutory tribunal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: VOCAT was a Victorian Government tribunal providing financial assistance to victims of crime, funded by public revenue. The scheme has transitioned to the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) as of 18 November 2024.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

VOCAT is a Victorian Government tribunal that provides statutory financial assistance to victims of violent crime in Victoria, covering expenses such as medical treatment, counselling, lost earnings, and funeral costs. As of 18 November 2024, the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) has replaced VOCAT for new applications, while VOCAT continues to finalise pending pre-transition applications. The tribunal also operates the Child and Youth Witness Service (CYWS), which prepares and supports child and young witnesses through criminal court proceedings via the Garragarrak facility, remote witness rooms, and the Court Dog Program.

Product overview

The Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal operates as a government service portfolio offering financial assistance and court support services to victims of crime in Victoria. The primary offerings include the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) for monetary support and the Child and Youth Witness Service (CYWS) for court preparation and support. CYWS operates through the Garragarrak facility in Melbourne, providing remote witness rooms and the Court Dog Program featuring Kiki. The organization also maintains a network of external support service partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) Victorian Government scheme that has replaced VOCAT, providing no-cost financial assistance to victims of crime in Victoria for expenses including medical treatment, counselling, and funeral costs, delivered via the FAS online portal at fas.justice.vic.gov.au.
• VOCAT (Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal) The former Victorian Government tribunal that provided financial assistance to victims of crime; stopped accepting new applications on 18 November 2024 but continues to finalise pending pre-transition applications.
• Child and Youth Witness Service (CYWS) Victorian Government service providing support to children and young people under 18 who may be witnesses in criminal court cases, including preparation for giving evidence, court support, and referrals to counselling.
• Garragarrak Witness and Victim Support Centre Purpose-built facility in Melbourne CBD where children and young people can meet with CYWS practitioners and give evidence via video link, featuring family areas, remote witness rooms, and a welcoming environment; co-located with the Intermediary Program.
• Court Dog Program (Kiki) Support dog program featuring Kiki, a fully trained and accredited support dog that helps children and young people feel calm during court proceedings, evidence viewing, and legal conferences.
• Support Services Network Network of external support organisations available to victims of crime, including counselling services (Lifeline, Beyond Blue, 1800RESPECT), specialised services (Kids Helpline, Headspace, Youth Law Australia), and culturally-specific support (13YARN, Rainbow Door).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS)coreOthersVOCAT and FAS operate under the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which oversees victim services and support across Victoria.
• Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)coreOthersFAS has replaced VOCAT as of 18 November 2024. VOCAT continues to finalize pending applications while FAS handles new applications and transitioned VOCAT awards.
• Intermediary ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCYWS shares facilities with the Intermediary Program at Garragarrak. Intermediaries help victims and witnesses understand questions and provide answers in police interviews and court proceedings.
• Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOPP handles prosecution of serious crimes and works with victims throughout the court process. Referrers to CYWS and partner in victim support services.
• Victims and Witness Assistance ServicecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerService available to all victims and witnesses in cases handled by OPP. Provides support before, during, and after court proceedings, including case updates and legal team meetings.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Victim Assist Queensland: Queensland Government scheme that provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime. A direct state-level peer to VOCAT/FAS in service model and statutory victim-compensation remit.
• Child Witness Service (NSW): NSW Government service providing preparation and court support for child witnesses in criminal proceedings. Directly comparable to CYWS in function and target population.
• Victims Services (NSW): NSW Government agency providing financial assistance, counselling, and court support to victims of crime in New South Wales. Directly comparable state-level victim assistance scheme analogous to VOCAT/FAS.
• Victims of Crime Assistance Scheme (Western Australia): Western Australian scheme providing financial assistance to victims of crime. Operates a comparable state-based statutory compensation model for victims of violent crime.
• Office of the Commissioner for Victims' Rights (South Australia): South Australian statutory body delivering financial assistance, counselling, and advocacy for victims of crime. Directly comparable state-level victim services agency.

Others

• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and counselling service referenced within VOCAT/FAS support services network. Adjacent rather than competing — provides referral pathways for victims rather than financial assistance.
• Office of the Victims of Crime Commissioner (Victoria): Victorian independent oversight body that advocates for victims' rights and monitors victim service delivery. Related but distinct organisation within the same Victorian victim-services ecosystem.

Regional players

• Northern Territory Victims of Crime: Northern Territory Government scheme providing financial assistance and support to victims of crime. Comparable state/territory-level victim compensation scheme.
• Victims of Crime (ACT): Australian Capital Territory victim of crime financial assistance scheme. Comparable state/territory-level statutory victim compensation program operating in a different jurisdiction.
• Victims of Crime Services Tasmania: Tasmanian state government service providing financial assistance and support to victims of crime. Comparable state-level victim assistance scheme operating in a different jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/victimsofcrime
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victims-of-crime-assistance-tribunal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal