Monegasque legislation provides a means of compensating victims

The Prince’s Government is delighted that the National Council voted in favour of the law on 7 December 2023, which enables victims of sexual offences, crimes against children, domestic violence and other offences to obtain compensation from the State if the perpetrator is insolvent.

The elected representatives in attendance voted unanimously in favour of this bill, proposed by the Government, which aims to strengthen the protection of victims and those most vulnerable in the Principality.

This work, led by the Chief Officer for Women's Rights and conducted by the Department of Legal Affairs and the Department of Justice, aims to prevent victims of crime from falling into financial distress on top of emotional trauma.

Thanks to the collaborative work carried out with the National Council and the commitment of its elected representatives, a bill has been drafted in the interests of victims.

In his speech, H.E. Mr Pierre Dartout, the Minister of State, welcomed this major step forward: "It is unacceptable that victims often waive their right to compensation after the trial rather than face their attacker again. The respect and protection of victims should always be the foundation of criminal justice policy".

Lastly, he commended the high calibre of discussions between the National Council and the Government and thanked all those involved in reviewing the bill that brought this reform to fruition.