If you have been an innocent victim of a crime of violence, then you may be able to claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). There is no need to wait for a successful criminal prosecution in order to make a claim. To qualify for compensation you need to claim within two years of the crime being committed. You must also have reported the crime to the police as soon as possible. You can claim for both physical or mental injury - but only those mental injuries which are defined by the scheme.
If you have been the victim of sexual, physical or emotional abuse in childhood, it may be possible to claim compensation either from the person who inflicted the abuse, or from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Both children and adults who were abused as children may be able to make out a claim. In the past, abusers who have been sued have included employers, adoptive or foster parents, social services, staff in schools and children's homes, charitable organisations and religious orders.