- I was a victim of a crime, an epidemic, a public calamity, or a natural disaster: consequences or reactions
- Vulnerable Victims
- The Victim’s Human Rights
- The Criminal Process
- Who’s Who in the Criminal Process
In the past, the victim of a crime played a significantly smaller role in the criminal process – the victim was relevant only for providing evidence. They were considered merely collaborators with the State. This has markedly changed over the last few decades. The shift was driven following World War II, largely due to the pressure from many victim support organisations, the increasingly visible attention given by the media, and also due to the growth in scientific research in victimology. This highlighted the need to establish preventive policies, support, and de-victimisation. The Brazilian Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP) provides for a series of victims’ rights and allows victims to play a broader role in the criminal process. Many international and Brazilian organisations oversee the implementation of victims’ rights in customary international law.
A set of rights is acknowledged for crime victims, which they can exercise to meet their needs and defend their interests and expectations.
These rights are provided not only in national laws but also in international legal instruments, such as UN Resolution n. 40/34 on the Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.
Here, you can learn more about these rights and understand how they can be implemented.
The Pro Victim Institute can assist you in exercising some of these rights by providing information and clarification and guiding you through the institutional process. However, the Pro Victim Institute does not represent crime victims in legal proceedings.
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