Over the past 12 months, our office has been increasingly busy, even with COVID-19 bringing additional challenges.

We've recently undergone a name change - we're now simply known as Victims of Crime, South Australia, rather than the Commissioner for Victims' Rights Office.

Our role has always been to support victims of crime, and this new name places more emphasis on helping victims rather than focusing on the role of the Commissioner.

My role as the Commissioner for Victims' Rights has not changed, and I will still work to advocate on behalf of victims and ensure their rights are upheld.

One of the issues facing victims is the lack of knowledge about their rights. The Victims of Crime Act 2001 outlines that victims are required to specifically request to be kept informed - of course, if they're not aware of this, they don't make the request.

My hope is that our new website and office name will help victims to easily learn more about what they are entitled to in relation to information, compensation and further support.

We want to make sure our office is as easy as possible to find for those who need our help and we will continue to work towards making changes that better support victims in South Australia.

Bronwyn Killmier
Commissioner for Victims' Rights