Victims and Prisoners Act 2024

Meaning of “victim”

1 Meaning of “victim”

(1) In this Part, “victim” means a person who has suffered harm as a direct result of—

(a) being subjected to criminal conduct, or

(b) one or more of the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2).

(2) The circumstances are—

(a) where the person has seen, heard, or otherwise directly experienced the effects of, criminal conduct at the time the conduct occurred;

(b) where the person’s birth was the direct result of criminal conduct;

(c) where the death of a close family member of the person was the direct result of criminal conduct;

(d) where the person is a child who is a victim of domestic abuse which constitutes criminal conduct.

(3) The reference in subsection (2)(d) to a child who is a victim of domestic abuse is to be read in accordance with Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

(4) For the purposes of this Part—

(a) “harm” includes physical, mental or emotional harm and economic loss;

(b) “criminal conduct” means conduct which constitutes an offence.

(5) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (4)(b) that—

(a) no person has reported the offence;

(b) no person has been charged with or convicted of the offence.

(6) In section 52(3)(a) of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, for “complaint has been made about” substitute “person has reported”.