Ⅶ. Support for victims of trafficking 1. The Government Funded Support Program for Victims of Trafficking The Australian government funded and administers a Support Program for Victims of Trafficking as part of the Australian Government’s AntiTrafficking Strategy. This support includes accommodation, financial assistance and access to legal advice. The Australian Government Office of Women designed a victim support program and administers the victim support program. The Australian Red Cross is contracted to manage the Support for trafficked People Program. The Program assists trafficked people who are referred to the Red Cross by the Australian Federal Police or state and territory police. Each person on the program has his or her own individual case manager. Since July 2009 changes to the Australia’s anti‐trafficking strategy mean that access to the Support Program for Victims of Trafficking is no longer conditional on holding a valid visa under the People Trafficking Visa Framework. The Support Program for victims of trafficking has three different streams: the assessment stream, the justice stream and the trial support stream. ∙ Government victim support program - the Assessment Stream : provides intensive support to all people who have recently been identified as victims of trafficking for a period of 45 days (extendable by a further 45 days), regardless of whether they are willing or able to assist law enforcement. Support includes secure accommodation, a living allowance, and a food allowance, access to health care, including counseling, access to interpreters and access to legal services. A dedicated case manager coordinates these services, and interpreters are engaged if necessary. ∙ Government victim support program - the Justice Support Stream : offers support to people who are assisting police with an ongoing investigation or prosecution up until the end of the criminal justice process. Support includes access to Social Security, Medicare and Pharmaceutical benefits and possibly assistance in securing accommodation and purchasing furniture. ∙ Trial Support stream : provides support and assistance to trafficked people who decided to leave Australia but return to Australia to assist with a police investigation or prosecution. Trial Support includes secure accommodation, a living allowance and a food allowance, as well as case‐managed compassionate support. ∙ Transition from the Victim Support Program : victims of trafficking who leave the victim support program will be provided with formal transitional assistance for a period of 20 days. Human rights protections and victim support for trafficked women in Australia ❙ 73