The Database of Victimisation Experiences

Abstract

In 2013, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) and Victim Services NSW agreed to develop a database on victimisation experiences, using de-identified information collected as part of compensation claims lodged with Victim Services NSW. This process led to the development of the Database of Victimisation Experiences (DoVE). The primary aim of the DoVE is to allow researchers to more fully explore the nature and impact of violent victimisation by analysing de-identified psychological evaluations of victims/survivors of crime. The material recorded in the DoVE contains rich, qualitative information about the victim/survivor’s functioning prior to and after the act of violence. This resource allows researchers the opportunity to gauge the nature, and to what extent an experience, of violent crime can impact a victim/survivor, and to an extent, their families and friends.