The headquarters of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Bucharest now has a special hearing room for victims or witnesses of crimes such as human trafficking, child pornography and/or sexual exploitation of minors.

The space, aimed at improving the quality of interaction with the most vulnerable of victims - the children, also includes a technical room, separated by a soundproof wall, and a one-way window.

It was set up by the Association for Victims of Sexual Crimes with the support of UNICEF Romania within the project "Justice for child victims of sexual abuse."

Mihaela Chiper, president of the Association for Victims of Sexual Crimes, said: "So far, we have set up eight hearing rooms for minors, in collaboration with the prosecutor's offices in Constanța, Vrancea, Vâlcea, Sibiu, Mureș, Argeș, Bacău, Bucharest, and an integrated center for the investigation of sexual violence in Săftica, Ilfov […]. With the support of UNICEF in Romania, this first hearing room set up in the headquarters of the central structure of DIICOT creates the premises of a unique interview for each of the vulnerable victims of human trafficking. It is essential to support witnesses or victims of sexual violence through access to a friendlier, but also more effective, justice system."

The partnership between the Association for Victims of Sexual Crimes and UNICEF in Romania runs from October 2022 to October 2023. It aims to improve judicial procedures in cases of sexual violence with child victims and create a network of professionals from the judicial system, forensic medicine and DGASPCs focused on obtaining solid evidence in cases of sexual violence against children.

A second special hearing room will be set up in the DIICOT territorial headquarters in Galati.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the Association for Victims of Sexual Crimes)