Melbourne Chef's Nightmare Continues Six Months After Random Stabbing
A Melbourne sushi chef who survived a random stabbing attack in the CBD is still waiting for promised government support nearly six months after the violent incident that left her with lasting physical and psychological scars.
Wan Lai, 36, was on her way to work on October 2 when she was allegedly stabbed in the right side of her chest by 32-year-old Lauren Darul on Little Bourke Street. The attack has left the chef unable to work and dependent on her savings to cover mounting medical expenses.
Physical and Psychological Scars Remain
The 1.5cm wound from the stabbing remains raised and feels like a hard lump, occasionally causing pain that reminds Lai of the traumatic event. More significantly, she has experienced a dramatic decrease in strength in her dominant hand, which now measures weaker than her non-dominant hand.
"The strength in her dominant hand has significantly decreased — even weaker than her non-dominant hand — affecting her daily life," Lai told 7NEWS.com.au.
Her physiotherapist has recommended a rigorous recovery regimen including massaging the scar every two days, daily rehabilitation exercises, and walking 30 minutes to restore muscle function. Medical clearance to return to work isn't expected until at least January.
Psychologically, the October attack has left Lai hyper-vigilant in public spaces. She now pays particular attention to unusual or suspicious people in crowds and actively avoids them when noticed.
Financial Strain Mounts Without Government Support
With no income since the attack and no government assistance received, Lai has been forced to rely entirely on her savings to cover daily living costs and essential medical treatments.
Her expenses include regular GP visits, psychological counselling, and physiotherapy sessions — each typically costing around $200 — all of which must be paid upfront. While these costs are theoretically reimbursable through government support schemes, the process requires submitting every receipt and can take up to a year for repayment.
Lai's sister, Ivana Lai, revealed that expected interim assistance of $5,000 has been delayed and may now take three to six months to arrive. During an online meeting in late October with Lai's lawyer and a case manager from the Victims Assistance Program (VAP), the family learned the compensation might be significantly less than anticipated.
"Her injuries may only be assessed as Category C, meaning the final compensation would be around $2600 instead," Ivana Lai explained.
Support Timeline Doesn't Match 'Interim' Promise
The family expressed frustration that the waiting period for assistance doesn't 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," Ivana Lai said.
She noted that while her sister has been working for several years and can temporarily cover expenses through savings, the family believes providing timely support should ultimately be the government's responsibility.
Lauren Darul remains behind bars after withdrawing her bail application last month. She will return to court later in November and has yet to enter a plea regarding the alleged attack.
7NEWS.com.au has reached out to Victoria's Department of Justice and Community Safety for comment on the delays in victim support.
