Case 43: Better justice system responses to victim/survivors of crime who have a disability

Photo by Gary Radler

For many years, community legal centres, victim/survivor advocates and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission have called on the Victorian Government, Victoria Police and the Office of Prosecutions to improve the way the criminal justice system responds to crime against people with disabilities, including by supporting people to report crimes and give evidence in court. The Charter has helped to spur action. For example, the Victorian Government started a new program to help vulnerable victim/survivors, including people with a mental illness or an intellectual disability, to give evidence in certain cases with support from a communication specialist known as an intermediary. Programs like this promote human rights to equality, fair hearing and safety.

Source: Human Rights Law Centre, Protecting human rights for Victorians with disabilities using Victoria’s Human Rights Charter: Your advocacy guide, 2018