About the project:

The BeneVict project aims to support the European Commission in its implementation of the Victims’ Rights Strategy 2020–2025 and the crafting of the future of victims’ rights in the EU.

Since 2012, the EU Member States were expected to implement Victims’ Rights Directive and continue developing services for victims of crimes.

A rapid 26-country practical implementation analysis will contribute to the understanding of what type of future action is needed to improve implementation of victims’ rights – be it an amendment to the Victims’ Rights Directive, a new legislative instrument at the EU or the MS level, a policy initiative, or other appropriate type of action.

Project methodology will be developed to capture, as much as possible, the gender perspectives and perspectives of other vulnerable victims, in particular groups identified by the VRD itself – children, victims of terrorism, hate crimes, victims with disabilities etc. Whenever possible, disaggregated data will be demanded. Review of data collection practices will, in particular, aim to look into the availability of data that can help identify and/or address the issues of gender equality and victim vulnerabilities

Objectives:

In its entirety, the project supports the global need to have valid and evidence-based argument for the advancement of victims’ rights across the EU and is, as such a much needed endeavour to advance the rights of millions of European victims. As such, it ultimately serves a number of specific purposes, including:

  • Supporting the EU and MSs in their future action on common values and implementation of the EU Victims’ Rights Strategy;
  • Supporting MSs in the development of their own national strategies;
  • Supporting VSE and our EU based members, partners and collaborators in advancing rights of victims;
  • Delivering methodological tools for future shared initiatives – including implementation assessments, data collection;
  • Developing an argument to advance the benefits of victim support and justify investment into further services.

Activities:

  • Rapidly assess the current state of play in the practical implementation of the Victims’ Rights Directive across the EU-26;
  • Identify data collection practices in Member States;
  • Develop a methodology for the Victims’ Rights Index;
  • Quantify cost of victimisation in four selected Member States – Estonia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden;
  • Identify and quantify benefits of victim support in Estonia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden;
  • Propose recommendations for further investment in victim support;
  • Identify lacunas in the knowledge and skills of stakeholders – victim support professionals, law enforcement, justice etc.;
  • Inform the upcoming EU and Member States action in the field of victims’ rights;
  • Build an approach to using research results to build effective engagement with stakeholders;
  • Increase the capacity of stakeholders to respond to victims’ needs Raise awareness about project objectives and disseminate project results.

Project partners: