Today, Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) welcomed the launch of the Victims Legal Service (VLS) Impact Report, marking three years of specialist, trauma-informed legal support for victim-survivors across Victoria.  The report highlights the service’s impact at a critical juncture, as current funding is set to conclude in just over 100 days.

Since commencing in March 2023, the VLS, Victoria’s first dedicated statewide legal service for victims of crime has delivered 12,097 services to victim-survivors, including responding to 10,513 enquiries through its specialist Helpline and providing ongoing legal casework to more than 2,000 individuals.

The report reveals the critical impact of the service including:

• A snapshot of just 25 finalised matters shows the VLS helped secure over $380,000 in financial assistance for victim-survivors – funding essential needs like housing, safety measures, counselling, and medical care.
• 44% of clients reported having a disability; 35% reported mental health issues; 24% had experienced or were at risk of family violence; and 23% lived in regional, rural or remote areas.
• Demand has doubled since launch, rising from an average of 205 requests per month in 2023 to 406 per month in 2025.

Yet despite this success, 727 victim-survivors eligible for intensive assistance were turned away due to capacity constraints. With current funding due to expire in June 2026, the future of this vital service remains uncertain.

Michael Smith, CEO of Eastern Community Legal Centre, said:

“At ECLC, we see every day how specialist legal support can be the turning point in a victim-survivor’s journey towards safety and healing. This report validates what our staff team and clients already know: when you combine trauma-informed practice with deep local knowledge, you get real justice outcomes. But we cannot ignore the warning in these pages.

“With demand doubling and hundreds of people unable to access help due to capacity limits, now is not the time to step back. We call on the Victorian Government to secure long-term funding for the VLS because no victim in our community should be left without support simply because services are at capacity,” added Michael.

ECLC is proud to be one of seven local Community Legal Centre partners in the VLS network, delivering place-based, intensive legal assistance to victim-survivors in Melbourne’s East, including Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse and the Yarra Ranges.

If you have experienced violent crime and need legal support, you can contact ECLC directly on 1300 32 52 00, or the VLS Helpline on 1800 531 566 or visit victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au.

Read the Joint Media Statement here.

Read the VLS Impact Report here.