Victims of intentional acts of violence or their relatives may -under certain conditions- apply for financial assistance from the Victims' Fund (or full: Fund for Assistance to Victims of Intentional Violence Crimes and Occasional Rescuers) vragen.
Wanneer de dader bijvoorbeeld onbekend is of onvermogend blijkt, draagt de Belgische Staat bij tot het vergoeden van de slachtoffers.
Before you as a victim can claim this support, a number of conditions must be met.
We are happy to list them for you.
Voor wie is het slachtofferfonds?
Niet elk slachtoffer maakt aanspraak op een bijdrage. Enkel personen die ernstige lichamelijke of psychische schade ondervinden als gevolg van opzettelijke gewelddaden – waarvan ook verschillende zedenmisdrijven een voorbeeld zijn – komen in aanmerking.
Persons who suffer harm in providing assistance to a victim of an act of violence or to a victim who is in mortal danger are also entitled to a contribution.
Victims of traffic or property crimes, such as a theft, are excluded.
Wanneer kan je gebruik maken van het slachtofferfonds?
The act of which one becomes a victim must have been committed in Belgium and the outcome of the subsequent criminal proceedings must be established, whether it is a dismissal for failure to identify the perpetrator or a final conviction of the perpetrator (although there are exceptions to the latter condition).
In addition, the victim must have tried to obtain compensation from the perpetrator, in case the perpetrator is obviously known.
However, if that same perpetrator proves insolvent, the Fund still intervenes, unless the victim can obtain compensation by other means, through his insurance, for example.
Wat is het slachtofferfonds?
There are four different categories of assistance provided by the Victims Fund: main assistance, emergency assistance, supplementary assistance and exceptional assistance.
Main is the contribution that covers the damage suffered.
In the context of emergency contribution is granted even though the outcome of the criminal proceedings is not yet known. Because in some cases there is a need for immediate help that cannot be delayed without a negative impact.
Additional help can be requested if the injury, for which one has obtained principal assistance, has increased within the ten years.
And exceptional aid concerns, as the name suggests, an exception under which people can request additional assistance even after the expiration of a 10-year period.
Hoe maak je gebruik van het slachtofferfonds?
Aanvragen om een bijdrage te bekomen moeten bij de relevante commissie in Brussel ingediend worden, samen met verschillende bewijsstukken.Het secretariaat stelt vervolgens een verslag op, waarover opmerkingen gemaakt kunnen worden door het slachtoffer, diens advocaat en/of de (afgevaardigde van de) Minister van Justitie.
Testimony may possibly be given by the victim before the actual committee, in which the victim may be assisted by a lawyer.
The committee then starts an investigation and the decision is finally sent by mail.
If the decision violates the law, an appeal can be filed with the Council of State.
Wenst u meer informatie van een gespecialiseerde advocaat zedendelicten in Antwerpen, neem dan gerust contact met ons op info@bannister.be of 03/369.28.00.
