Victim Impact Statement example - a parent Writing a Victim Impact Statement on Behalf of their Child

A note before you read

These are example victim impact statements. They are fictional. We wrote them to show you what a finished statement can look like, not to retell anyone's real experience. Some of them describe harm, loss, and the effects of crime. The language is honest, and it may be hard to read. If you have been through something similar, parts of these examples might bring up strong feelings or difficult memories. The following victim impact statement example contains no details of the offence itself - just the impacts of the offence on the victim-survivor(s).

Please read at your own pace. You can stop at any time. You do not need to read an example to use Justice Draft. The guided form will help you write your own statement in your own words, whether or not you look at these first. If you would like more information on writing a victim impact statement on behalf of your child, we have put together a guide that you can access here.

If you need support, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Both are free and available any time.

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How we felt a the time

I was woken up by a loud crash around 11pm. At first I thought something had fallen over, but then I heard glass breaking and a man’s voice in the hallway. I got up to check on Lily and found that someone had broken in through the back door. He grabbed my arm as I tried to get past him to reach her room.

Lily had already woken up and come out into the hallway. She saw him grab me and screamed. He let go and ran out through the broken door. In the chaos, Lily had stepped on broken glass and cut her foot. I picked her up and we locked ourselves in the bathroom while I called the Police.

I don’t think I really processed what had happened until much later. At the time I was just focused on getting Lily safe and getting help for her foot. It was only after the ambulance and police left that it hit me how close it had been, and how frightened she must have been.

Emotional wellbeing

Lily has changed a lot since that night. She has nightmares several times a week, and she has started wetting the bed again, which she hadn’t done since she was about four. She is scared of the dark now, and she won’t go to sleep unless I sit with her. She has started seeing a counsellor, who has told us this is a normal response for a child her age after something frightening like this. She is working through it, but it’s going to take time.

I have my own anxiety about it too. I don’t sleep properly anymore, especially at night. I find myself listening for sounds in the house, even when I know everything is locked up. I have started seeing my GP about it, and I am on a waiting list to see a counsellor myself.

Relationships

Lily used to love sleepovers at her friends’ houses, but she won’t do that anymore. She gets upset if I try to leave her with anyone, even her grandparents, who she used to stay with all the time. She wants to be near me most of the time now. At school, her teacher has noticed she is quieter than usual and sticks close to one or two friends instead of playing in a big group like she used to. My partner works night shifts, and he wasn’t home that night. Since then it has been hard. I feel like I can’t relax when he is at work, and Lily struggles when he isn’t home at bedtime. 

Physical Health

Lily cut her foot on broken glass during the break-in. She needed stitches at the hospital, and the cut took a few weeks to heal properly. She still has a small scar, and she sometimes complains that it feels tight or sore, especially after a long day. She is also more cautious now about walking around without shoes on, even at home, which she never used to think about before. The man grabbed my arm hard enough to leave bruising, but that healed within a couple of weeks and there has been no lasting injury.

Financial Impact

We had to pay to repair the back door and window, and we had a security system installed with cameras and sensor lights, which we didn’t have before. Altogether this cost around $4,500. Lily’s hospital visit and follow up appointments have added to our medical costs, and her sessions with the counsellor are an ongoing expense. I also took two weeks off work afterwards, which used up most of my annual leave, and I have had to take half days here and there since then for Lily’s appointments.

Daily Life and Routine

Lily sleeps in my room now, in a bed we set up next to mine. Before this happened she had her own room and slept through the night without any trouble. We check the locks on every door and window before bed now, and Lily likes to come with me while I do it. If we are out after dark, even just walking to the car, she holds my hand the whole way and wants to know the doors are locked as soon as we get in.

Her dad used to do school drop off some mornings, but Lily doesn’t want anyone but me to take her now, so that has changed too.

Sense of Safety

Lily is scared of the dark in a way she never was before. She doesn’t like being in a room by herself, even during the day, and she gets anxious if she can’t see me or hear me nearby. Loud or sudden noises, like a door slamming or a car backfiring, make her jump and sometimes cry. I don’t feel safe being home alone with Lily anymore, especially at night. Even with the new security system, I find myself checking the cameras on my phone multiple times before I go to bed.

Spiritual and Cultural Wellbeing

This didn't apply to our family, so I have left it out.

Who we were before this happened

Before this happened, Lily was a confident, social little girl. She loved having friends over and going to sleepovers, and she was always asking to have people round. She slept through the night without any problems and had her own room, which she was proud of. She loved swimming and was working towards her next certificate at swimming lessons. She was doing well at school, and her teacher had said she was settled and happy in her class.

She was always one of the first to put her hand up to try new things. That part of her has changed a lot since this happened.

What we want the court/assessor to know

Lily is seven years old. She did not do anything wrong. She was asleep in her own bed, in her own home, and within a few minutes her sense of safety in that home was taken away. I know that as adults we can understand what happened and try to make sense of it. For a child her age, all she knows is that someone broke into her house at night and hurt her mum, and that it could happen again. I am asking the court to understand that the impact of this on Lily doesn’t end when the case does. We are doing everything we can to help her feel safe again, but it is going to take a long time, and some of it may stay with her for good.