10.2 Psychological or psychiatric harm and trauma

Psychological or psychiatric harm are injuries that have resulted from the violent act and affect a person’s mental health and wellbeing.

Trauma can also be an injury. The FAS will consider trauma to be an injury if the:

trauma has been caused as a direct result of a violent act, and
applicant provides medical or psychological evidence showing they suffered trauma as a result of the violent act.

✅ Eligible for the FAS

Example:

Nathan was robbed at knifepoint and ever since the incident he has been avoiding going out in public. He feels anxious every day and has recurring nightmares of the incident.

Because of the violent act of the robbery, Nathan has suffered psychological harm and trauma.

Psychological injury and trauma – supporting evidence requirements
Mandatory evidence Applicants must provide detail in their application form about their experience since the crime, detailing the mental impact that it has had on them. For trauma injuries, primary and secondary victims must provide medical or psychological evidence showing that counselling is required. Recommended evidence Applicants are recommended to provide one of the following documents that detail the injury: hospital records medical records medical certificates report or letter by a medical practitioner report or letter by a mental health practitioner report or letter by a social worker or other support worker (for example, from an Orange Door or specialist sexual assault service) Victim Impact Statement court documents including judgments, sentencing remarks, or Family Violence Intervention Orders, Family Violence Safety Notices or Personal Safety Intervention Orders applied for by police. Additional evidence Applicants may want to consider providing additional documents supporting their injury. These documents could include: a statement made to police an invoice or receipt as evidence of treatment the victim received in relation to the injury, or any other relevant document about the injury. The FAS will also request information from the police about the violent act, which may include information about the victim’s injury.

Psychological injury and trauma – supporting evidence requirements

Mandatory evidence

Applicants must provide detail in their application form about their experience since the crime, detailing the mental impact that it has had on them.

For trauma injuries, primary and secondary victims must provide medical or psychological evidence showing that counselling is required.

Recommended evidence

Applicants are recommended to provide one of the following documents that detail the injury:

hospital records
medical records
medical certificates
report or letter by a medical practitioner
report or letter by a mental health practitioner
report or letter by a social worker or other support worker (for example, from an Orange Door or specialist sexual assault service)
Victim Impact Statement
court documents including judgments, sentencing remarks, or
Family Violence Intervention Orders, Family Violence Safety Notices or Personal Safety Intervention Orders applied for by police.

Additional evidence

Applicants may want to consider providing additional documents supporting their injury. These documents could include:

a statement made to police
an invoice or receipt as evidence of treatment the victim received in relation to the injury, or
any other relevant document about the injury.

The FAS will also request information from the police about the violent act, which may include information about the victim’s injury.

Updated 16 October 2024