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Psychosocial Support of Victims: A Critical Analysis

Wed, Nov 14, 9:30 to 10:50am, Marriott, International 6, International Level

Abstract

At the occasion of the directive 2012/29/EU of the European parliament and of the council about “establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime”, victims of severe crimes have been entitled to apply for some form of institutionalized psychosocial support in Germany since 1 January 2017. This support, which is provided through specifically trained personnel reimbursed by the state, aims to avoid secondary victimization. The supporters are not permitted to legally assess the case or talk to victims about the crimes committed against them in detail, but rather help them manage their daily lives and support them while the criminal proceedings are ongoing. Of course this could be a valuable tool in proceedings with particularly vulnerable victims. While psychosocial support can be an instrument with many possible benefits for the victims, it is also strongly criticized, especially by defense lawyers who fear that victims’ statements could become flawed through the interaction with the psychosocial supporter. The objective of this presentation will be to examine this area of conflict from the different perspectives and legally evaluate this new instrument.

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