Being impacted by a crime is a frightening and stressful experience. For this reason, the New South Wales Government has created Victims Support for those who have experienced violence during their life. Getting the help you need is an important step towards mental and physical rehabilitation.
Logic Lounge Psychology has several approved Victims Services counsellors and psychologists across our locations around Sydney, offering both telehealth and face-to-face consultations. All psychologists and counsellors who deliver Victims Support services go through an application and approval process with numerous requirements. Therefore, you can be assured that our team has the experience on hand to help you through your time of need.
Approved counsellors and psychologists can provide psychological services to a victim of violence on a short-term basis for up to 22 hours (which can be further extended in exceptional circumstances, or if the client is a victim of child sexual assault or child abuse), with an aim to help the client recover from the emotional trauma and the impacts that crime has had on them. This counselling support is free to the victim.
To be eligible for Victims Services support, you must have experienced an act of violence in New South Wales. This includes sexual assault and/or domestic violence. There does not need to be a charge or a conviction. Support is available for primary, secondary or family victims. See below for more information.
Primary victim
The primary victim is a person who was injured, either psychologically or physically, as a result of a violent crime, or someone who gets injured while trying to stop violence from taking place, or get injured while rescue a victim of a violent crime.
Secondary victim
The secondary victim is a person who was injured as a direct result of witnessing a crime that was violent, or it could be a parent who was injured as a result of becoming aware of the crime.
Family victim
The family victim is the immediate family of a homicide victim. This could include a spouse, siblings, step-siblings, children, parents/guardians, or a de facto partner who has lived with the victim for 2 years.
As of 1 January 2022, Victims Services support extends to those affected by modern slavery in NSW.