International Center "La Strada" hosted a working visit of experts from the Czech National Police (ÚSKPV)

The International Center “La Strada” had the honour of hosting a working visit by an expert mission from the Czech National Police (ÚSKPV), represented by three officials from the Bureau of Criminal Police and Investigation Service, General Crime Department, specialising in the investigation of sexual offences.

The visit is taking place within the framework of a cooperation project between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova and the Czech Police, focusing on the exchange of expertise and the strengthening of practices related to the interviewing of child victims of sexual offences. In this context, the International Centre “La Strada”, as an organisation providing direct assistance to child victims, had the opportunity to contribute to the professional dialogue by sharing its experience in developing and implementing child assistance and protection mechanisms, as well as practices for conducting interviews under special conditions. This contribution complemented the perspective of law enforcement institutions in the Republic of Moldova and helped foster a broader understanding of children's needs throughout the justice process.

The meeting focused on exchanging experiences regarding how interviews with children under special conditions are organised in the two countries, the procedures followed during investigations, the professional training of specialised police officers, and the mechanisms in place to assist and protect victims. The Czech experts also presented the organisational structure of specialised units at regional level, as well as the procedures for recording and preserving children's statements as evidence for subsequent stages of criminal proceedings.

What did we learn from the Czech model for organising and conducting interviews with child victims of crime and from our Czech colleagues' experience?

• Specialised training and rigorous certification of police officers who interview children. In the Czech system, police officers conducting such interviews must complete specialised training programmes and pass a certification examination before being authorised to undertake this responsibility. This ensures that interactions with child victims are entrusted to professionals specifically trained for this sensitive task.
• The organisation of specialised structures at regional level. The experts outlined how police units responsible for investigating these cases and interviewing children are organised, including the allocation of responsibilities and the work carried out by specialised police officers.
• Preserving children's statements as evidence for criminal proceedings. An important aspect concerns the way interviews are recorded and preserved, ensuring that a child's statement can be used as evidence in subsequent stages of criminal proceedings, including court hearings.
• Reducing repeated interviews and preventing retraumatisation. The model presented places particular emphasis on conducting the interview during the investigation stage and subsequently using its recording as evidence. This approach helps protect children from having to recount their traumatic experiences repeatedly. At the same time, procedural safeguards allow the defence to request additional clarifications, while ensuring that the child's rights and interests are respected.
• Cooperation among professionals and a child-centred approach. The exchange of experience provided an opportunity to discuss the importance of coordination between specialised police officers and professionals responsible for supporting children, ensuring that judicial procedures take into account both investigative requirements and the child's safety and emotional well-being.

For its part, the International Center “La Strada” presented the experience of its Child Assistance Team (CAT) in organising interviews under special conditions, as well as the assistance and support provided to children who have experienced violence and abuse. The exchange offered a better understanding of the specific features of both systems and helped identify opportunities to strengthen cooperation among professionals involved in victim protection.

The International Center “La Strada” highly values this opportunity for professional dialogue and extends its sincere thanks to the representatives of the Czech Police for their openness in sharing their experience and expertise, for the constructive discussions, and for the opportunity to learn from the practices developed within the Czech system.

We also greatly appreciate the value of this professional exchange, which allows us to critically reflect on our own practices, explore new perspectives, and identify solutions that can contribute to strengthening national mechanisms for protecting child victims of sexual offences.