Victim empowerment service | Western Cape Government

Victim empowerment service

When reporting your incident at the police station, you will have access to the victim empowerment service. Male patient being examined by the doctor.

The victim empowerment service is where the dignity and rights of victims are protected. The victim is empowered and not subjected to secondary victimization by the inefficiency of the members of the criminal justice system.

The basic elements of victim empowerment are: 

  • emotional and practical support,
  • providing information, and
  • referral to professional support services. 

When accessing this service, it's important to know your rights. Regardless of circumstances, population group, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and appearance, all victims must be treated with fairness, respect and courtesy, in private and without discrimination. 

As a victim of crime you have the right: 

  • to be treated with fairness, and with respect for dignity,
  • to privacy,
  • to offer information,
  • to receive information,
  • to protection,
  • to assistance, and
  • to restitution.
The content on this page was last updated on 20 April 2023