Being the victim of a criminal act is often a traumatic and frightening experience, and some victims may need support in order to cope with the legal process. The judicial system has an obligation to support in various ways someone who has been the victim of a criminal act.
During the preliminary investigation, the prosecutor must consider factors that both support and speak against the suspect. The prosecutor must therefore be impartial and objective.
At the same time as the prosecutor has to be objective, the victim sometimes requires support from the prosecutor. This situation may sometimes be difficult to reconcile. But the fact that a prosecutor provides information of a general nature, for example explains how a trial is conducted, cannot be considered to conflict with objectivity. On the other hand, a prosecutor may not, for example, discuss with the victim what he/she should say when being questioned in court.
Victim’s legal adviser
During the course of the trial, the victim is referred to as the injured party. The victim may apply to the court for a legal advisor – a lawyer whose task it is protect the interests of the victim in court. If the preconditions for acquiring the services of a legal advisor are not fulfilled, the prosecutor may inform the victim of the possibility to instead seek the help of an assistant from a voluntary organisation.
If as a victim you wish to meet the prosecutor before the trial, you should contact the public prosecution office. It is normally always possible to arrange a short meeting immediately before the trial begins. If you have any queries about the trial, the preliminary investigation or some other matter, you can always contact the police or the public prosecution office.
Claims for damages
If the victim has no legal advisor, it is in most cases the prosecutor’s task to submit a claim for damages, or in other words during the trial claim damages on the part of the victim. Through the police, the prosecutor can find out what he/she should claim in the form of damages.
The prosecutor is responsible for making sure that the victim is given fair and friendly treatment throughout the entire legal process.