Definition and rights of a victim of a criminal offence

In Québec, the Act to assist persons who are victims of criminal offences and to facilitate their recovery  guarantees rights to victims of criminal offences, their close relations and their dependents. 

If you are the victim of a criminal offence committed in Québec or abroad, you have the right to compassionate, courteous, fair and understanding treatment that respects your dignity and privacy. You have the right to receive guidance and support.

You have the right to receive information about:

• your rights;
• your remedies;
• the assistance measures available under and defined in the Act;
• the health and social services and any support, prevention or protection services available in your community and through which you can obtain the medical, psychological or social assistance required;
• the complaint processing procedures of departments and bodies that provide services to victims or engage in activities that cause them to intervene with victims, and the outcome of your complaint;
• the progress and outcome of the police investigation (if you make a request and to the extent possible);
• testimonial aids; 
• your role and participation in judicial proceedings;
• the progress and outcome of the judicial proceedings and any decision that concerns you (if you make a request);
• available adaptability and restorative justice programs;
• any hearing held to determine the fitness or unfitness of the accused individual, presumed perpetrator of the criminal offence of which you are a victim, to stand trial;
• any hearing that could lead to the person who committed the criminal offence being found not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder or any hearing held following such a finding;
• any hearing held to determine whether the individual who committed the criminal offence of which you are a victim is a high-risk accused;
• any review under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act that concerns the conditional release of the offender responsible for the offence, and the time and conditions of this release.

To the extent provided by the Act, you also have the right:

• to receive the medical, psychological or social assistance required by your condition, as well as the other support services appropriate for your needs with respect to shelter, assistance and referral to other services that can help you;
• to receive the rehabilitation services required by your condition to enable you to move on with your life or facilitating your social or vocational reintegration;
• to benefit from measures protecting you from intimidation tactics and reprisals;
• to submit a written statement that will be filed with the court during sentencing (Victim Impact Statement (SJ-753B) (PDF 65 Kb)) and have due consideration given to it;
• to have the court consider making a restitution order against the person who committed the criminal offence in accordance with section 737.1 of the Criminal Code;
• to have your perspective and concerns presented and examined during the judicial proceedings (when your rights are affected);
• to have your safety taken into consideration by the persons responsible for enforcing the Act;
• to receive reasonable compensation for costs incurred to testify;
• to receive, in a prompt and fair manner, reparation for the interference suffered or financial assistance, if applicable;
• to have property that was seized from you (e.g., for the investigation) returned as soon as possible when it no longer needs to be held for judicial purposes.