Victims of Crime feedback and complaints

We want to hear about your experience using services provided by Victim Services, Support and Reform (VSSR). Tell us if you have a compliment, complaint or suggestion. Your feedback helps us improve our services.

The services that VSSR provides include:

• Victims of Crime Helpline
• Victims Assistance Programs (VSSR funds the Victims Assistance Program across the state)
• Victims Register
• Prisoner Compensation Quarantine Fund
• Family Violence Restorative Justice Service
• Intermediaries Program
• Child Witness Service
• Coordination of Victorian government participation in the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse
• Victim-related policy and projects.

What happens after you make a compliment, complaint or suggestion

We will acknowledge receipt of your feedback within five business days and let you know the next steps. If you provide anonymous feedback, this will be recorded and actioned, without further communication.

If you are making a complaint about a service you received from VSSR:

• we will acknowledge your complaint as soon as possible, within a maximum of five business days
• the feedback coordinator will send your complaint to the relevant manager to investigate and resolve. We may need to contact you to ask for further information
• we will contact you as soon as the outcome of the investigation is known, within a maximum of 30 business days
• if your complaint is complex or if further information is needed, we will contact you to let you know. We will let you know the outcome of the investigation within 45 business days.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of a complaint, please let us know. If this happens, we can arrange an internal review of the complaint. This will be undertaken by a senior member of staff who is in a different area than the service to which you first directed your complaint.

If you are not satisfied with how your complaint has been resolved, you can lodge a complaint with the Victims of Crime Commissioner or the Victorian Ombudsman.

Victims of Crime Commissioner:

Complaints in relation to compliance with Victims Charter Principles may be reviewed by the Victims of Crime Commissioner.

Call: 1800 010 017

Email: enquires@victimsofcrimecommissioner.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)

Victorian Ombudsman:

The Victorian Ombudsman investigates complaints about Victorian Government departments and agencies.

Call: 03 9613 6222

Website: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/complaints

What will happen with your information

VSSR takes privacy and confidentiality seriously. We are bound by the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic), which protects your privacy in relation to the collection, use, management, and disclosure of your personal information.

For more information on how the Department of Justice and Community Safety collects and uses your personal information read our Privacy statement.