Victims of violent crime and their families say the state’s criminal injuries compensation scheme is unwieldy and traumatic to negotiate, so is there a better option?

In one case, a woman who suffered fractured nasal bones and lacerations on her face following an attack by an ex-partner was denied €700 compensation for dental treatment because her application was submitted after the deadline.

Rachel Gaffney and Rebecca Coen of the Law Reform Commission: the overall aim of a compensation scheme for victims of violent crime should be to avoid, as much as possible, re-traumatising victims. Picture: Fergal Phillips