Get help

Call the Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817:

• tell them the person’s name, phone number and spoken language
• the Victims of Crime Helpline will organise for an interpreter to call.

This is a free service.

When the interpreter calls, it may display as a 'private number', 'blocked' or 'no caller id' on mobile phones.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service:

• TTY users phone 1800 555 677 then ask for 1800 819 817
• Speak and Listen users phone 1800 555 727 then ask for 1800 819 817
• Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 1800 819 817
• Video relay users choose the available NRS video relay contact on Skype and ask for 1800 819 817
• SMS relay users phone 0423 677 767 and ask for 1800 819 817.

You can learn more about how to report a crime on this website.

Victoria Police

There are a number of ways you can report a crime to Victoria Police.

If anyone is in immediate danger or a crime is currently occurring, please call police on Triple Zero (000). 

For non-urgent and less serious crimes, you can:

• calling the Police Assistance Line on 131 444
• calling or going to your local police station (External link)
• using Victoria Police’s online reporting tool (External link) (for items/damage up to $5000).

If you wish, for situations that are not urgent, you can request to speak to:

An Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) or Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer (PALO), who:

• are available around the state by contacting your local police station
• assist communication and build relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and the police (External link)

A Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Liaison Officer (GLLO), who:

• are available around the state (External link)
• provide discrete, non-judgemental advice and assistance about reporting a crime as well as information about support services available for LGTBI communities.

Call: (03) 9247 6944 during business hours
Email: Melbourne.gllo@police.vic.gov.au (External link)

Crime Stoppers

Confidentially report a crime by calling Crime Stoppers or reporting online.

Call: 1800 333 000
Website: crimestoppersvic.com.au (External link)

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner

Australian Government agency committed to helping all Australians have safe, positive experiences online. You can report image-based abuse (External link) or offensive or illegal content (External link) on their website.

Website: esafety.gov.au (External link)

IDCARE

Australia and New Zealand’s national identity & cyber support service. You can report identify theft and relationship scams on their website.

Open: 8am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1800 595 160
Website: idcare.org (External link)

Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASCS)

The Australian Cyber Security Centre is the Australian Federal Government initiative for improving cyber security. You can use their ReportCyber online tool to report cyber crime (External link) (online crime). It can refer your report to the most relevant law enforcement or government agencies for investigation. 

You can use ReportCyber to report types of crime such as:

• identify theft
• online scams – such as dating and romance scams, threats or extortion for money
• attacks or hacking of computer systems.

Website: cyber.gov.au (External link)

Consumer Affairs Victoria

If you are dealing with a dispute regarding products, services, housing and car sales, Consumer Affairs Victoria has extensive information about your rights as a consumer in Victoria.

You can view their Who to go for help page (External link) for information on who to contact to make a complaint.

Website: consumer.vic.gov.au (External link)

Victorian Child Protection Service (Department of Health and Human Services)

You should make a report to Child Protection if you are concerned that a child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect, and that their parent has not protected, is unable to protect or is unlikely to protect the child from harm of that type.

Business hours (9am–5pm, Monday to Friday)

Contact the children protection intake service in your area (External link)

After hours (weeknights 5pm–9pm, and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays)

Contact the After hours Child Protection Emergency Service on 13 12 78.

The Orange Door

If you have significant concern for the wellbeing of a child, but do not believe they are at risk of significant harm, and where the immediate safety of the child will not be compromised, you can report to The Orange Door.

These services can link children to services that can help. For a contact phone number in your area, visit The Orange Door website (External link)

You can learn about how courts work in Victoria on this website.

Magistrates’ Court of Victoria

To find locations and contact details of the Magistrates’ Court around Victoria, you can use the find a court function (External link) on their website.

Website: mcv.vic.gov.au (External link)

Children’s Court of Victoria

To find locations of the Children’s Court, you can visit the Court Locations section (External link) of their website.

Website: childrenscourt.vic.gov.au (External link)

County Court of Victoria

To find locations and contact details of the County Court around Victoria, you can visit the Contact Us section (External link) of their website.

Website: countycourt.vic.gov.au (External link)

Supreme Court of Victoria

To find locations and contact details of the Supreme Court around Victoria, you can visit the Contact Us section (External link) of their website.

Website: supremecourt.vic.gov.au (External link)

Coroner’s Court of Victoria

The Coroner's Court of Victoria is located at the address below and you can find further details on contacting them by visiting the Contact Us section (External link) of their website.

State Coronial Service Centre
65 Kavanagh Street
South Bank, Victoria

Call: 1300 309 519
Website: coronerscourt.vic.gov.au (External link)

Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria (OPP)

The Office of Public Prosecutions is Victoria’s public prosecution service. They prepare and present court matters against people accused of serious crime.

565 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria

Call: (03) 9603 7666
Website: opp.vic.gov.au (External link)

Victims and Witness Assistance Service (VWAS)

The OPP’s Victims and Witness Assistance Service is available on the ground floor of their building.

565 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, Victoria

Call: (03) 96037425 or 1800 641 927 (toll free) 9am–5pm
Website: victimsandwitnesses.opp.vic.gov.au (External link)

Corrections Victoria

Corrections Victoria is responsible for offenders in prison and on community corrections orders.

Website: corrections.vic.gov.au (External link)

Adult Parole Board Victoria

The Adult Parole Board is responsible for making decisions about parole for adult offenders in the Victoria.

Website: adultparoleboard.vic.gov.au (External link)

Post Sentence Authority

The Post Sentence Authority oversees the post sentence scheme in Victoria and monitor serious offenders on post sentence orders.

Website: postsentenceauthority.vic.gov.au (External link)

Sentencing Advisory Council

The Sentencing Advisory Council provides research, statistics and education about sentencing in Victoria.

Website: sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au (External link)

Victims of Crime Commissioner

The Victims of Crime Commissioner aims to improve services and systems in government departments, victims service providers and the justice system to meet the needs of victims of crime.

Call: 1800 010 017
Website: victimsofcrimecommissioner.vic.gov.au (External link)

Youth Justice Service – Department of Justice and Community Safety

The Youth Justice Service is responsible for the supervision of young people in the criminal justice system.

Website: justice.vic.gov.au/justice-system/youth-justice (External link)

Victoria Legal Aid

Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Help service provides free general legal information over the phone and by chat online.

Open: 8am–6pm, every day
Call: 1800 677 402
Website: legalaid.vic.gov.au (External link)

Victims Legal Service

The Victims Legal Service provides free legal advice and support for people who have suffered injury or loss because of a crime and need help getting financial assistance or compensation.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1800 531 566

Law Institute Victoria

The Law Institute of Victoria is the peak body for the Victorian legal profession. It assists people in locating a lawyer through their online find a lawyer referral service (External link) 

Website: www.liv.asn.au (External link)

Women’s Legal Service Victoria

Free and confidential legal information and advice for women experiencing family violence or relationship breakdown.

Legal Advice Line
Open: 5.30pm–7.30pm, Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Call: (03) 8622 0600 (metropolitan callers) or 1800 133 302 (country callers)
Website: womenslegal.org.au (External link)

Youthlaw

Free legal advice for people under 25 including drop in clinics, phone & email advice – Victoria wide.

Open: 9am–5pm, every day
Call: (03) 9113 9500
Email: legal@youthlaw.asn.au (External link)
Website: youthlaw.asn.au (External link)

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

Legal advice and representation for the Koorie community.

Call: 1800 064 865
Website: vals.org.au/ (External link)

Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service (Djirra)

A legal service that supports Aboriginal people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence (women and men).  They can also assist non-Aboriginal people experiencing family violence who are parents of Aboriginal children.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1800 105 303
Website: djirra.org.au (External link)

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Centre

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service is a free, Victoria-wide community legal centre that works exclusively with disability related legal issues. The service has a particular focus on issues which affect people with an intellectual disability.

Call: 03 5227 338 for general calls or 1800 014 111 for the Legal Advice Line
Website: villamanta.org.au (External link)

Mental Health Legal Centre

The Mental Health Legal Centre provides a free and confidential legal service to anyone who has experienced mental illness in Victoria where their legal problem relates to their mental illness.

Legal advice telephone line
Open: 6pm–8pm, Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Call: (03) 9629 4422 (metropolitan callers) or 1800 555 887 (free call from rural Victoria)
Website: mhlc.org.au (External link)

Lifeline

24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.

Open: 24 hours, every day
Call: 13 11 14
Website: lifeline.org.au (External link)

1800RESPECT

The national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service offering a phone and online chat service.

Open: 24 hours, every day
Call: 1800 737 732
Website: 1800respect.org.au (External link)

Women’s Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE)

Free support, referral and information for all Victorian women, nonbinary and gender-diverse people on any issue.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1300 134 130
Website: wire.org.au/ (External link)

Mensline Australia

Telephone and online counselling service for men with family and relationship concerns.

Open: 24 hours, every day
Call: 1300 789 978
Website: mensline.org.au (External link)

Kids Helpline

24 hour phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.

Open: 24 hours, every day
Call: 1800 55 1800
Website: kidshelpline.com.au (External link)

Switchboard

Switchboard is a volunteer organisation which provides a free, confidential and anonymous telephone counselling, referral and information service for Victorian bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people and their supporters.

Switchboard partners with QLife to provide a phone and webchat service.

Open: 3pm–midnight, every day
Call: 1800 184 527
Website: switchboard.org.au (External link) or qlife.org.au (External link)

Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women's Service

Elizabeth Morgan House provides a range of support to Aboriginal women and children experiencing family violence from crisis through to recovery program.

Open:
9am–5pm, Monday to Thursday
9am–4pm, Friday
Call: (03) 9482 5744
Website: emhaws.org.au (External link)

VACCA – Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency

An Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation that services children, young people and families with a range of services including family violence, children’s services, housing and homelessness.

Call: (03) 9287 8800
Website: vacca.org (External link)

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

Legal advice and representation for the Koorie community.

Call: 1800 064 865
Website: vals.org.au/ (External link)

Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service (Djirra)

A legal service that supports Aboriginal people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence (women and men).  They can also assist non-Aboriginal people experiencing family violence who are parents of Aboriginal children.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1800 105 303
Website: djirra.org.au (External link)

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS)

Provides a comprehensive range of medical, dental and social services as well as community programs for Victorian indigenous communities.

Open:
9am–5pm, Monday to Thursday
9am–4pm, Friday
Call: 
03 9419 3000 (VAHS Fitzroy)
03 9403 3300 (VAHS Preston)
03 8592 3920 (VAHS Epping)
Website: vahs.org.au (External link)

Victoria Police – Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Liaison Officers (known as GLLOs)

GLLOs provide discrete, non-judgmental advice and assistance about reporting a crime as well as information about support services for LGBTIQ+ people.

You can report a crime to any police officer in Victoria Police by contacting your local police station (External link) but, if the matter is not urgent, you can choose to speak to GLLO.

Call: (03) 9247 6944 during business hours
Email: Melbourne.gllo@police.vic.gov.au (External link)

You can also visit the Victoria Police website to find out more about GLLOs (External link) and find contact details for officers in your area.

Rainbow Door

Rainbow Door is a free specialist helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQ+ Victorians, their friends and family.

Open: every day 10am to 5pm

Call: 1800 729 367
Text: 0408 017 246
Email: support@rainbowdoor.org.au (External link)
Website: rainbowdoor.org.au (External link)

Switchboard

Switchboard is a volunteer organisation which provides a free, confidential and anonymous telephone counselling, referral and information service for Victorian bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQ+) people and their supporters.

Switchboard partners with QLife to provide a phone and webchat service.

Open: 3pm–midnight, every day
Call: 1800 184 527
Website: switchboard.org.au (External link) or qlife.org.au (External link)

Thorne Harbour Health

A community-controlled organisation providing health services for LGBTIQ+ people, including relationship counselling.

Open:
9am–7pm, Monday
9am–9pm Tuesday to Thursday
9am–5pm Friday
Call: 1800 134 835
Website: thorneharbour.org (External link)

w/respect

A specialist LGBTIQ+ family violence service to support LGBTIQ+ people and their families affected by family violence.

w/respect is a partnership of four LGBTIQ+ specialist organisations; queerspace (supported by drummond street services), Thorne Harbour Health, Switchboard and Transgender Victoria.

Open:
9am–5pm Monday to Friday
After hours counselling 5pm–11pm Wednesday and 10am–10pm Saturday and Sunday
Call: 1800 LGBTIQ
Website: withrespect.org.au (External link)

queerspace (supported by drummond street services)

queerspace provides a safe and supportive space to obtain information and access services aimed at improving the health and well-being of LGBTIQ+ people.

Open:
9am–5pm Monday to Friday
After hours counselling 5pm–11pm Wednesday, 10am–10pm Saturday and Sunday
Call: (03) 9663 6733

Transgender Victoria (TGV)

TGV is Victoria’s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy. Provides service and referrals for trans and gender diverse people, their partners, families and friends.

Call: (03) 9020 43642
Website: transgendervictoria.com (External link)

 

InTouch – Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence

A specialist family violence service that works with multicultural women, their families and their communities.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1800 755 988
Website: intouch.org.au (External link)

Islamophobia Support

Islamophobia Support provides free information, advice, referrals and ongoing care to individuals and communities across Victoria.

Open: 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 03 9328 2067 or 0481 311 518
Website: islamophobiasupport.icv.org.au (External link)

Office of the Public Advocate

The Office of Public Advocate (OPA) works to safeguard the rights and interests of people with disability.

It provides:

• an advice service for people with disability and their family, carers and friends (External link)
• the Community Visitor program (External link) who can visit disability accommodation services, supported residential services and mental health facilities to ensure residents and patients are being cared for appropriately.

Open: 9am–4.45pm, Monday to Friday
Call: 1300 309 337
Website: publicadvocate.vic.gov.au (External link)

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Centre

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service is a free, Victoria-wide community legal centre that works exclusively with disability related legal issues. The service has a particular focus on issues which affect people with an intellectual disability.

Call: 03 5227 338 (general calls) or 1800 014 111 (telephone advice service)
Website: villamanta.org.au (External link)

Mental Health Legal Centre

The Mental Health Legal Centre provides a free and confidential legal service to anyone who has experienced mental illness in Victoria where their legal problem relates to their mental illness.

Legal advice telephone line
Open: 6pm–8pm, Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Call: (03) 9629 4422 (metropolitan callers) or 1800 555 887 (free call from rural Victoria)
Website: mhlc.org.au (External link)

Senior Rights Victoria

Seniors Rights Victoria provides information, support, advice and education to help prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and independence of older people.

Call: 1300 368 821
Website: seniorsrights.org.au (External link)