Melbourne CBD stabbing victim Wan Lai says she’s yet to receive ‘immediate support’ from government

When the government promised “immediate and longer-term support”, Wan Lai never imagined she would still be waiting up to six months after allegedly being randomly stabbed on her way to work.

The 36-year-old sushi chef is still living the nightmare of the October 2 attack, almost two months after 32-year-old Lauren Darul allegedly ran up to her on Little Bourke St and stabbed her in the right side of her chest in Melbourne’s CBD.

The 1.5cm wound remains raised, feels like a hard lump, and occasionally causes pain.

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Lai told 7NEWS.com.au that the strength in her dominant hand has significantly decreased — even weaker than her non-dominant hand — affecting her daily life.

Her physiotherapist recommends massaging the scar every two days, doing daily rehabilitation exercises, and walking 30 minutes to aid recovery and restore muscle function.

CCTV footage has emerged of the moment a 32-year-old chef was allegedly stabbed in Melbourne’s CBD. Credit: 7NEWSThe wound remains raised, feels like a hard lump, and occasionally causes pain. Credit: 7NEWS

Psychologically, she now pays particular attention to unusual or suspicious people in crowds, actively avoiding them when noticed.

She has been unable to return to work since the attack and is not expected to be cleared until at least January, according to her physiotherapist.

With no income or government assistance, Lai has been forced to rely on her savings to cover mounting daily costs.

These include GP visits, psychological counselling, and physiotherapy — each typically costing around $200 — all of which Lai must pay upfront.

While these expenses can eventually be reimbursed through the government support scheme, the process requires submitting every receipt and can take up to a year.

She says the interim assistance, which was supposed to provide immediate support, has also yet to be received.

Darul was on bail when she allegedly stabbed Lai. Credit: Supplied

“At the end of October, my sister, her lawyer, and the case manager from the Victims Assistance Program (VAP) had an online meeting,” Lai’s sister, Ivana Lai, told 7NEWS.com.au.

“During the meeting, we learnt that the $5000 we thought would be an interim assistance grant will now likely take three to six months to be received.

“In addition, her injuries may only be assessed as Category C, meaning the final compensation would be around $2600 instead.”

Ivana added that the expected time frame does not align with what they understand as “interim” support.

“The waiting time is indeed much longer than we expected. For anyone without savings, this would create a huge financial burden,” she said.

She said Lai has been working for a few years, so is able to use her savings to cover her expenses for now, but they still believe it should ultimately be the government’s responsibility.

Victoria’s Department of Justice and Community Safety said each application to the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is assessed individually to ensure victims receive the assistance they are entitled to.

“What happened to Ms Lai is unacceptable and we express our heartfelt condolences to her and her family,” a spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.

“The impacts of crime can be profound and long lasting — that’s why we’re providing the support victims need.”

Victims of violent acts may be eligible for Special Financial Assistance payments, which are determined based on the severity of the act and other supporting evidence.

Payments can be up to $61,499, with some applicants eligible for an additional $25,000 depending on eligibility criteria.

Darul remains behind bars after withdrawing her bail application last month. She will return to court later in November and is yet to enter a plea.