Hungary’s system of providing aid to the victims of crimes handled 21,000 clients in 2022

Hungary’s system of providing aid to the victims of crimes is becoming increasingly effective, the justice minister told a conference on the subject on Tuesday, adding that while the number of crimes has dipped, the number of people helped through the system has increased.

Judit Varga said the system followed a Dutch pattern, in which victims would start receiving services automatically, from the time they file a criminal complaint, without having to apply for assistance separately, unless they refuse their personal data to be forwarded to the support centre.

In 2022, the system handled 21,000 clients, compared with 18,000 last year, the minister said. The system runs a 24 hour hotline, while victims can also seek help at the centres personally; the number of such visits has exceeded 10,500 since the beginning of the year, twice as many as last year, she said.