It is very clear that the majority of victims of property crime want to receive compensation. We must find a way to have them participate in the process and offer them legal assistance or a lawyer to help them define the compensation they want. That is how it works in France, where half of all proceedings are resolved through compensation.
The reality is different for victims of violence, who are looking for something else. Often, an offender does not have the means to compensate the victim.
However, granting the victim a legitimate role in a formal trial could increase the possibility of obtaining restorative justice, as mentioned by Ms. Wemmers.
It is important to emphasize that, unlike a victim, an offender always receives support. If both parties received support and had a good mediator, many things could be resolved. There would be an opportunity to arrive at compensation and a feeling of emotional reparations, for instance.