- I was a victim of a criminal offence: consequences and reactions
- The rights of victims of a criminal offence
- Right to be treated with respect and dignity
- Right to privacy
- Right to information about rights from the first contact with the competent authority
- Right to be heard
- Right to interpretation and translation
- Right to be accompanied by a victim support association
- Right to be accompanied by a legal representative and an adult of your choice
- Right to declare a third party’s address as a home address (with their consent)
- Right to return of property
- Right to compensation
- Right to legal aid
- Right to an individualised assessment
- Right to specific protection measures
- Social protection rights
- Right to an alternative to criminal proceedings: mediation
- Right to benefit from restorative justice measures
- Right to information on appeals and remedies
- Criminal proceedings
- Who is who in criminal proceedings
Right to be heard
First of all, when victims file a complaint, they can provide as much information and evidence as possible to the judicial police.
During the investigations, the police or the Public Prosecutor may ask victims to return to the scene or to add additional details that they may have overlooked when filing the complaint.
During the trial, victims will be able to testify, i.e. to explain verbally what they have suffered and experienced, and to answer the questions put to them.
Victims who have registered as a civil party can therefore influence their own trial because they are fully a part of it: they have the right to be heard at the different stages of the procedure, to consult the case file, provide information that may be required for the investigations, and help uncover evidence.
In addition, the competent authorities can ask any victim, even if they are not a civil party, to provide more details if they need further clarification of the facts.