A Comparison of Crime Victims’ Rights Laws in Six Countries: For Victims Is It ‘Same,Same But Different’?

Abstract

This article critically examines the comparative implementation of crime victims’ rights in India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan and South Korea, with particular attention to procedural justice, institutional accountability and victim agency. Drawing on statutory frameworks and research, it examines whether recognition of victims’ rights leads to participation and protection. Despite legislative reforms, disparities persist in enforcement, access and cultural responsiveness. Using victimological concepts such as the ideal victim, institutional betrayal and trauma-informed practice, the analysis identifies recurring patterns of symbolic compliance, gaps in service delivery and tensions between legal ideals and lived realities. By synthesizing cross-national data and historical trajectories, the article proposes a framework for evaluating institutional performance and highlights the need for culturally attuned, trauma-informed reforms to ensure that victims’ rights are not merely aspirational but actionable.