The law is a set of rules made by Parliament about how people should behave. Criminal law says that no one is allowed to harm or hurt someone else in any way. A crime is when someone breaks the criminal law.

When a crime is committed against you, the victim, it is also seen as a crime against our community. In our legal system, the Police, Prosecutors and the Courts all have different roles when a crime is committed.

If a crime has happened to you (the victim) or to someone else and you have to go to court, then you are a witness. As a witness to a crime, you are someone who has important things to say about what happened.

If you are a victim of crime your rights are set out in the Charter of Victims Rights.