When children are exposed to a crime, they often end up in a so-called children’s house, a place where people under the age of 18 receive support and help from several authorities and support functions such as the police and social services at the same time.
But the majority of orphanages state that cases involving children who witness violence are not taken up to the same extent as when children themselves have been beaten or exposed to sexual violence. This is shown by a survey from Barnafrid at Linköping University. This can, for example, lead to the children having to wait for interrogation.
– These cases stop at the police. The time to get support and help is longer for those children. And if it takes a very long time, the children may experience that no one is interested in their experiences, says Markus Cifuentes, coordinator at Barnahus in Uppsala.
The children are made invisible in the legal process
When the new law was introduced on July 1, 2021, children who witness violence in close relationships would be considered plaintiffs, instead of witnesses. This would also give the children stronger protection.
– But there is a big risk that if the children do not come to Barnahus, they will be made invisible in the legal process and will not receive the same support. These differences should not exist, but these children should be seen as plaintiffs in the same way as other children who are exposed to crime, says Sandra Skoog, investigator at Barnafrid at Linköping University.
The routines of the police are lacking
The acts of violence that it is punishable to let children see or hear are called basic crimes. For example, it could be assault or illegal threats. Basic crimes are investigated by police officers who handle crimes against adults, which can lead to child welfare crimes sometimes being investigated by police officers who usually handle adult cases. According to the police, this may be a reason why the children have not always had their rights met.
– We have had challenges there, you haven’t had the routines for adult cases to start planning with social services and children’s homes. But I know that police officers all over Sweden are working to improve cooperation, says Ulrika Kvarnström, operations developer at the police.