Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme

About the scheme

The Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme is available to former and current Victoria Police employees who have experienced workplace sex discrimination or sexual harassment. Applications opened on 12 December 2019 and will close on 30 April 2024.

Redress is about making an acknowledgement for wrongs that happened in the past. The scheme offers a range of options for eligible participants, including:

counselling and therapeutic services
a restorative engagement process
financial payments

The scheme is independent of Victoria Police and is being delivered by a dedicated support team who are available to:

explain if you are eligible
guide you through the application process and timeframes
discuss options available in the scheme and what may be suitable for you

Our support team is available to answer any questions you may have:

phone: 1300 389 521, 9am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays)
email: thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au

Your privacy will always be protected in line with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).

Apply to the scheme

Applications for the Scheme can be made up to 30 April 2024.

The scheme is open to all former and current Victoria Police employees including:

Victorian Public Sector employees (including administrative officers)
uniformed members, Protective Services Officers and Police Custody Officers

You can choose to apply to the scheme if:

you are a current or former Victoria Police employee, and
you experienced workplace sex discrimination and/or sexual harassment before 12 December 2019, and
the behaviour occurred while you were working or at a location connected to a Victoria Police workplace, and
was perpetrated by a person who was a Victoria Police employee at the time.

The standard of proof for the scheme is plausibility. This is lower than the criminal and civil standard.

An account of an experience is plausible if there is enough information, supported by a properly witnessed statutory declaration, to reasonably satisfy a person undertaking an assessment that the behaviour occurred.

Applications for the Scheme can be made up to 30 April 2024.

If you are considering applying, we encourage you to get in contact for a confidential discussion. You can:

phone: 1300 389 521, 9am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays)
email: thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au

Apply online - Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme

Steps in the application process

Use the online portal
You can complete your application by using the online portal.
Applications for the Scheme can be made up to 30 April 2024.
Please note that you will not be able to save a draft and come back later to it on the online portal.>
Use the application form
As an alternative to the online portal, you can use the application form.
You can download the application form from this page:

Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme application form
PDF 797.1 KB

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Applications for the Scheme can be made up to 30 April 2024.
You can also request a copy of the application form by:
- calling the scheme on 1300 389 521
- emailing thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au
If you wish to choose a nominee
You can nominate a trusted person to act on your behalf and help you with your application to the scheme.
Download the nominee form below:

Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme nominee form
PDF 258.86 KB

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Please submit the form by emailing thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au
If you have any questions, call the scheme on 1300 389 521.
Information you will need to supply
Some details are required to confirm your eligibility:
- full name
- date of birth
- Victoria Police number or employee number
- employment details (for example, month and year of employment commencement OR last or current pay classification)
- consent to accessing data matching of your personal details
- email address
You will also be asked for:
- personal contact details
- information about your experience
Applications for the Scheme can be made up to 30 April 2024.
You will need to:
1. fill out the scheme's template statutory declaration that declares that all the information you provide in your application is true and correct
2. sign the completed statutory declaration before an authorised witness
Statutory declaration template - Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme
Word 140.5 KB

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There are many different people who can witness a statutory declaration. Visit the Department of Justice and Community Safety website for more information about making a statutory declaration.
Our support team is available to answer questions you may have about making your statutory declaration:
- phone: 1300 389 521, 9am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays)
- email: thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au
You can submit your application in 2 different ways:
- by using the online portal
- with help from the support team

Important information about the scheme

Sex discrimination
Sex discrimination is where a person treats another person or people with a protected attribute unfavourably because of that attribute.
In the scope of the scheme, protected attributes include:
- sex
- LGBTIQ+ status
- gender identity
- parent or carer status
- pregnancy or breastfeeding
Sexual abuse
Some sexual harassment is criminal in nature. Sexual abuse is forced or unwanted sexual activity.
This includes:
- the use of physical force
- threats
- taking advantage of a person who is unable to give consent
In the scope of the scheme, this includes sexual offences under state and federal legislation.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual behaviour which could reasonably be expected to make a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. It includes physical, verbal and written behaviours.
This can include:
- comments about a person’s private life or appearance
- sexually suggestive comments or jokes
- repeated requests to go on dates
Predatory behaviour
Predatory behaviour is where a person in a position of authority or control (where there is an unequal power relationship between the person and the victim) uses their position to gain sexual gratification.
Your privacy is important and will be respected. The scheme will keep your personal information safe. We will only ask for information that is needed to confirm you are eligible for the scheme and assess your application.
The personal information we will ask for may include:
- your name, contact details, date of birth and other details to confirm your identity
- your former or current employee number
- information about your employment with Victoria Police, including rank, classification, role and work location
- details of the workplace behaviour you experienced and the impact it has had on your life
The scheme is administered by the Department of Justice and Community Safety.
The department is committed to protecting your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
You can view the scheme’s privacy collection notice which explains how we will manage your personal, sensitive and health information which you may provide when making an application to the scheme.
For more information about this, contact the support team on 1300 389 521.
You can view the department’s information privacy policy.

What is available in the scheme?

Assistance offered to you by the scheme will be based on the information you provide in your application and your individual circumstances.

Applications can be made up to 30 April 2024. The Scheme will continue to support participants up to December 2024. The support team is available to discuss your needs and options and answer any questions you may have.

Counselling and therapeutic services

Access to counselling and therapeutic services appropriate for your needs may be provided at no cost.

The support team can assist with direct referrals to counselling and therapeutic services:

phone: 1300 389 521, 9am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays)
email: thescheme@justice.vic.gov.au

This may include continuing counselling and therapeutic sessions with your current practitioner, if you have one. The scheme is committed to supporting you and ensuring that you can access a service that meets your needs. Support offered by the Scheme will be available up to December 2024.

Financial redress

You may be eligible for a one-off financial payment. This is assessed based on the type of behaviour you experienced.

Type of behaviour	Payment
Rape, sexual assault (with aggravating features)	$45,000
Sexual harassment involving some contact and non-contact behaviours such as: sexual assault sexual exposure, threats, stalking predatory sexual harassment	$25,000
Some forms of sexual harassment or systematic targeted sex discrimination that is part of a campaign or series of behaviours and focused on an individual.	$10,000

Type of behaviour

Payment

Rape, sexual assault (with aggravating features)

$45,000

Sexual harassment involving some contact and non-contact behaviours such as:

sexual assault
sexual exposure, threats, stalking
predatory sexual harassment

$25,000

Some forms of sexual harassment or systematic targeted sex discrimination that is part of a campaign or series of behaviours and focused on an individual.

$10,000

The Australian Tax Office has advised that a financial redress payment from the scheme is exempt from taxation under subparagraph 118-37(1)(a) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth). We recommend you seek independent financial advice to consider your own circumstances.

Restorative engagement

The scheme’s restorative engagement process offers people who have experienced workplace sexual harassment and/or sex discrimination, the option to engage with a senior representative from Victoria Police. You can use this process to share your experience and the impact it has had on your life.

It is a completely voluntary program. If you choose to take part, you will be supported throughout the process, which is designed to be safe and confidential. You can decide to stop at any time.

You will have a choice about who you communicate with, what you share with them and how it is shared. You can also choose to have a support person with you. This could be a partner, family member or friend.

The program will be available up to December 2024. It is coordinated by a specialist to ensure:

the process is suitable for your needs
you can talk through any questions or concerns you may have at any point

Assessment process

The scheme is committed to making consistent, impartial and fair assessments of every application.

A person is eligible for redress if their account of the behaviour is plausible – rather than proven.

It is important that you provide enough information in your application so that an assessment can be made. You will need to provide a statutory declaration that declares that all of the information you provide in your application is true and correct.

The support team can guide you through this process and talk about any concerns you may have.

Applications for the Scheme made up to 30 April 2024 will be assessed by the scheme’s assessment team. The assessors have expertise in law, complex assessments, human rights and fair decision making.

The assessment team will make a recommendation about your application to the scheme’s director. A letter of offer will then be made to you.

All assessments and decisions are independent of Victoria Police. No information will be shared with or disclosed to Victoria Police.

Crisis support

If you need crisis support now, you can contact the following organisations at any time. They offer services such as phone and online counselling.

beyondblue

Counselling for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention:

visit: www.beyondblue.org.au
phone: 1300 224 636

Lifeline

Confidential crisis support and suicide prevention services:

visit: www.lifeline.org.au
phone: 13 11 14

1800RESPECT

Confidential information, counselling and support for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse:

visit: www.1800respect.org.au
phone: 1800 737 732

Suicide Call Back Service

Professional mental health counselling and suicide prevention:

visit: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
phone: 1300 659 467

MensLine Australia

Counselling for men with emotional health and relationship concerns:

visit: www.mensline.org.au
phone 1300 789 978

Triple Zero

Emergency services (police, fire and ambulance).

phone: 000

Updated 24 October 2023