The term « children victims and witnesses of crime» refers to all children and teens under the age of 18 who are victim of, or witness to a crime, regardless of their role in the offence or in the prosecution of the offender or alleged offender groups.
Who are children victims and witnesses of crime ?
A « child victim » of crime is a child who has suffered a violation of his/her physical or psychological integrity as a result of a criminal act committed by a person s/he knows (for example a parent or guardian) or by a stranger, in a familiar environment (home, school) or not. The violation can take different forms: the child can be victim of abuse, ill-treatment or negligence. Children subjected to sexual exploitation, i.e. prostitution or child trafficking for sexual purposes, are considered as well as child victims.
While a victim is always a witness, a witness is not always a victim.
Children require special protection because of their age or maturity and because they often suffer the consequences of being victims or witnesses of crime.
These children should be protected against legal systems in which they are often wrongly seen as delinquents rather than as victims.
A « child witness » may be a witness to a criminal act committed against a person s/he knows or not, by a person who is familiar or not. The child may be an eyewitness of the crime scene, or an indirect witness if s/he heard screams from the crime scene. It is important to take into consideration these children who may be called to testify in court. Special measures should be implemented during the legal process to ensure they do not suffer from further harm.