VICTIM SUPPORT

Question 1

Describe who is a victim under the Victims’ Rights Act 2002

Answer 1

A person against whom an offence is committed by another person.
(ii) A person who, through, or by means of, an offence committed by another person, suffers physical injury, or loss of, or damage to property.

(iii) A parent or legal guardian of a child, or of a young person who falls within (i) or (ii) – unless that parent or guardian is the person charged/convicted.
(iv) A member of the immediate family of a person who, as a result of an offence committed by another person, dies or is incapable, unless that family member is the person charged/convicted.

Question 2

What are the provisions of section 7 of the Act?

Answer 2

Treatment

Any person who deals with a victim (for example, a judicial officer, lawyer, member of court staff, Police employee, probation officer, or member of the New Zealand Parole Board) should—

(a) treat the victim with courtesy and compassion; and
(b) respect the victim’s dignity and privacy.

Question 3

What are the provisions of section 8 of the Act?

Answer 3

Access to services

A victim or member of a victim’s family who has welfare, health, counselling, medical, or legal needs arising from the offence should have access to services that are responsive to those needs.

Question 4

What are the provisions of section 11 of the Act?

Answer 4

Information about programmes, remedies, and services

A victim must, as soon as practicable after the victim comes into contact with an agency, be given information by the personnel of the agency about programmes, remedies, or services available to the victim through the agency.

(2) In this section,—

agency means—

(a) the Accident Compensation Corporation:
(b) a DHB (as defined in section 6(1) of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000):
(c) the Department of Corrections:
(d) the Ministry of Justice:
(e) the Ministry of Social Development:
(f) the New Zealand Police

Question 5

What are the provisions of section 12 of the Act?

Answer 5

Information about proceedings

A victim must, as soon as practicable, be given information by investigating authorities or, as the case requires, by members of court staff, or the prosecutor, about the following matters:

Question 6

What are the provisions of section 51 of the Act?

Answer 6

Return of property held as evidence

(1)
Law enforcement agencies that hold property of a person (other than an offender) for evidentiary purposes must, to the extent that it is possible to do so, return it to the person as soon as practicable after they no longer need to hold it for those purposes.

(2)
Subsection (1) does not apply to a law enforcement agency if the person advises that agency that he or she does not want the property returned.

Question 7

Explain the purpose of NIA Case Victims Contacts

Answer 7

NIA Case Victims Contacts has been designed to ensure that police staff meet the requirements of the Victims’ Rights Act 2002

Question 8

The Golden rule for when dealing with Victims

Answer 8

Treat victims as you would expect to be treated yourself

Question 9

What are the most common emotional reactions experienced during the impact stage of victimisation.

Answer 9

The impact stage,

• Numbness
• Disorientation
• Immobilisation
• Feelings of unreality
• Childlike Dependance

The recoil stage,

• Anger or rage
• Fear or terror
• Fustration
• Confusion

Question 10

What are the two clear stages of emotional reaction.

Answer 10

Victims often go through two clear stages of emotional reaction:

• Impact stage
• Recoil Stage