Barnahus, the first comprehensive care service for children victims of sexual abuse in the CSC
A "homogeneous and coordinated" care will be provided to children and adolescents who have suffered Barnahus sexual violence; they will receive health, education, social, police and justice services in one space.
Children, adolescents and their families who have suffered sexual abuse will now be able to receive a comprehensive service in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Barnahus ("Children's House" in Icelandic) has today opened a centre that will follow the model. Although the first cases will begin to be dealt with in January of next year, workers have already started working.
It will be the first centre in the Basque Country to offer this service, which will serve the children and young people of Álava, with the aim of making it a reference point to follow the same path in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia over the next few years.
According to data provided by the Department of Security of the Basque Government, between 2020 and 2023 1,009 complaints of sexual abuse of minors were received, from 130 cases in 2020 to 448 in 2023. In addition, cases of violence against girls (25%) and crimes of sexual violence (24.2%) by partners or ex-partners and crimes of sexual violence (24.2%) have increased.
"Guarantees fundamental rights"
During the presentation of the Centre, Nerea Melgosa , Counsellor for Social Welfare, Youth and Demographic Challenge of the Basque Government, explained that the Barnahus model guarantees a "lighter, more effective and more humane" response to victims, and that the impact is "very positive." "The Barnahus model reduces the trauma of minors by avoiding multiple expressions or movements between different organizations.
The counsellor has specified that the "best interests" of the child are the model that places them at the centre, avoiding "revictimization" .
Nice space
A fixed and mobile team will serve in the new centre, consisting of a coordinator, an administrative, a psychologist and a social worker, and social workers, psychologists, paediatricians, forensic doctors, gynaecologists, ertzainas and court personnel.
Minors shall be referred to Barnahus through the social services of the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the Provincial Council of Álava, and upon arrival at the Centre, an initial reception and evaluation of children shall be carried out, with the assistance of psychologists and a medical examination.
When the minors are ready, they shall make an account of what has happened to them, always with the help of the psychologist, and in a safe space. They shall be connected to a declaratory room, from where they shall be followed by the coordinators, the Ertzaintza, the Public Prosecutor's Office and the medical team. The judge shall also be able to follow, and the child's account shall have the same judicial value as a judicial statement. The minor shall receive psychological and legal assistance throughout the proceedings.
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