Victims of crime need much more support
LETTER — I’d like to try and shed some light on the lack of support in our country for victims of crime. Like Michael Forry who was struck on the head I too was an innocent victim of a violent assault where I was clubbed on the head with a steering wheel club.
Michael Forry.
As a result I suffered a brain injury that required emergency brain surgery. I lost my career and because of ongoing balance issues will not be eligible for workers’ compensation if I did return and was hurt on the job.
I receive a crime victim’s assistance pension of $1,600 per month. How is a victim of crime expected to live on that after being told he cannot work? I’d like to know why our government doesn’t have money to properly compensate victims of crime supplied by proceeds of crime.
The person responsible for ruining my life pled guilty and received an 18-month conditional sentence; not one day in jail.
To add insult to injury I was told by my lawyer the only way to properly be compensated for my injury would be to go after the house insurance of the place it happened. We lost because the judge said no precedent was set so I had to pay all court expenses.
Because of what I’ve gone through I have no respect for our justice system and live my life with a huge chip on my shoulder.
DEAN KENDALL
Vancouver Island
Editor’s note: The youth who attacked Michael Forry in March 2013 pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and received two years’ probation. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act he can’t be named.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
I would have to agree that victims of crime are not supported by the Criminal Justice System. Even when victims go to court as witnesses for the prosecution, they are made to feel like they are the ones on trial. Victims have to give evidence to prove their case, whereas on the other side, the criminal is not required to give evidence. I too believe that funding for victims of crime is inadequate to help the victim through the ordeal of the Criminal Justice System. I would go a step further and suggest that the funding for Victims of Crime should be equal to that provided to the perpetrators of crime. The system is not fair.
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