Finding Support After Crime: Victoria's Financial Assistance Scheme for Trauma Recovery (Including Childhood Abuse)

Experiencing a crime, whether recently or in the distant past, can have a profound and lasting impact on your well-being. The trauma resulting from such events, including childhood abuse, often requires specialised psychological support to heal. In Victoria, the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) provides crucial support to eligible victims, helping to remove financial barriers to accessing this care.

This scheme replaced the former Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) and is managed by the Victims of Crime Commissioner. At Shaw Psychology, we understand the importance of this scheme and have experience supporting clients in Melbourne who are accessing therapy through it.

A wealth of support is available for Victorians who have been affected by crime.

What is the Financial Assistance Scheme?

The Financial Assistance Scheme is designed to help victims of violent crime in Victoria manage the costs incurred as a direct result of the crime. Its primary aim is to assist in the recovery process by providing financial support for a range of necessary services, importantly including psychological counselling and therapy.

Who Can the Scheme Help? Eligibility for Trauma Survivors

To be eligible for assistance under the FAS, an individual generally must:

• Be a victim of an "act of violence" (a crime) that occurred in Victoria.

• Have suffered an injury as a direct result of that act of violence. "Injury" explicitly includes psychological or psychiatric injury, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), anxiety, or depression resulting from the trauma.

Crucially for many, the scheme can apply to historical crimes, including childhood abuse. This means that even if the abuse occurred many years ago, you may still be eligible for assistance to address the ongoing psychological impact.

What Psychological Support Can the Scheme Cover?

A significant component of the Financial Assistance Scheme is the provision of funding for counselling and psychological services to help victims recover from the psychological impact of the crime. This can include sessions with qualified mental health professionals, such as general and clinical psychologists at Shaw Psychology, and payment for reasonable costs of approved counselling sessions and related reports (e.g., treatment progress reports that the scheme may require).

A First Step You Can Take Today: Gathering Information

The first step can often feel the biggest. A simple, low-pressure action you can take today is to visit the official Victims of Crime website (victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au) or call the Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817. You don't need to have all the answers or be ready to apply. Simply gathering information and understanding the process is a powerful act of self-advocacy and a first step towards getting the support you deserve.

An example:

Eleanor is a Melbourne resident in her 40s. She had carried the silent burden of childhood emotional and physical abuse for decades. She struggled with C-PTSD symptoms, including intense anxiety in relationships and a deep sense of worthlessness, but assumed that because the abuse was historical and never reported, she couldn't get any support for therapy. After a friend gently encouraged her, she contacted us. In her first appointment with her psychologist, we sensitively explained the Financial Assistance Scheme and how it could potentially apply to historical childhood abuse, even without a prior police report. They discussed how Eleanor could contact the Victims of Crime Helpline for more information on the application process. Feeling a glimmer of hope, Eleanor eventually applied to the scheme. Once her application for counselling assistance was approved, she commenced focused trauma therapy at Shaw Psychology, finally able to address the deep-seated impacts of her past in a supportive environment, with the financial stress alleviated.

(Please note: This is a fictional vignette created for illustrative purposes only.)

Navigating the Application Process

The application process involves submitting an application form and providing information about the crime and its impact on you. While each case is assessed individually, here are some key points:

• Focus on Victim Recovery: The scheme is designed to be victim-focused and aims to support your recovery journey.

• Police Reports: While a police report can be a helpful part of an application, it's important to know that you may still be eligible for assistance even if a formal police report was not made at the time of the crime, or if you are not ready to report to the police now. This is particularly relevant for survivors of historical abuse. It's always best to discuss your specific circumstances with the Victims of Crime Helpline or a support service.

• Assistance with Applying: The Victims of Crime Helpline (1800 819 817) can provide information and support with the application process. There are also other victim support services available in Victoria that can assist.

It is a hopeful, candid moment when a client's quiet relief arises as their application is approved.

How Shaw Psychology Can Support Victims of Crime Financial Assistance Scheme Clients

While Shaw Psychology does not handle the application process itself, our Melbourne-based general and clinical psychologists have significant experience in:

• Preparing Reports and Providing Evidence for a FAS Claim: We have extensive experience helping clients apply for the scheme by doing the application together in sessions or by providing crucial evidence and support for your application through a report.

• Providing Focused and Tailored Trauma Therapy: Offering evidence-based and experienced psychological care needed by victims of crime, including those who have experienced childhood abuse, to address conditions like PTSD and C-PTSD.

• Working Within the Scheme's Framework: Understanding how to structure therapy and provide necessary documentation (such as invoices and treatment updates, with your consent) in line with the Financial Assistance Scheme's requirements for approved psychological services.

• Creating a Safe Therapeutic Environment: Supporting you through your recovery journey with trauma-informed care.

The Importance of This Support for Trauma Recovery

Accessing appropriate psychological therapy is vital for healing from the trauma of crime, especially for complex issues like C-PTSD resulting from childhood abuse. Financial barriers should not prevent victims from getting the help they need. The Financial Assistance Scheme plays a critical role in making specialised, and sometimes long-term, therapy accessible. Addressing the deep wounds of such trauma often requires dedicated, expert care.

Seeking the Support You Deserve

If you are a survivor of crime in Victoria, including historical childhood abuse, and are struggling with the psychological aftermath, we encourage you to explore the Financial Assistance Scheme. It is a vital resource designed to support your recovery.

Important Note: The information provided here is a general guide. For the most current and detailed information on eligibility, what the scheme covers, and how to apply, please consult the official victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au website or call the Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817.

At Shaw Psychology, we are here to provide the expert trauma therapy you may need on your healing journey.

If you'd like to discuss how our psychological services can assist you, potentially in conjunction with the Financial Assistance Scheme:

Contact us today on (03) 9969 2190, visit our website at www.shawpsychology.com to learn more, or book an initial consultation directly online here: https://bit.ly/bookshawpsychology.