Poor facilities affect child sex abuse cases

THE lack of child-friendly interview rooms in garda stations is having a negative effect on the investigation of sex abuse cases, according to a study.

The report calls for garda stations to be refurbished to provide a more comfortable environment for abused children, who are often anxious and vulnerable.

“An important finding of this study was the lack of appropriate investigative interviewing facilities,” said report author Inspector Karl Heller.

Insp Heller carried out a study among eight children who had been sexually abused and who had reported the matter to the gardaí.

“The most critical factor highlighted in this study has been the negative impact of inadequate or unsuitable interviewing facilities on the process and outcome of the investigation.”

He said one 15-year-old girl found the constant movement in and out of a garda interview room distracting.

“When I was in the room I didn’t feel very comfortable. There was policemen, and policewomen, coming in and going out, I didn’t feel at ease.”

An 18-year-old victim said she didn’t feel safe.

“I think if the gardaí are going to do interviews, they will have to make it comfortable and make it that children can feel safe.”

Insp Keller, who has a Masters of Science in Children Protection and Welfare, said the children wanted rooms to be quiet, comfortable and private.

In relation to the need for quiet, the mother of an 11-yaer-old girl said: “There should be a room aside, a room offside away from all the comings and goings, especially for that type of interview.”

In relation to comfort, a 13-year-old girl said: “Make it brighter and make the furniture softer, put a plant in it, put pictures on the wall, photographs or paintings.”

Regarding privacy, a 15-year-old girl said: “They should get a thing saying room in use, not to come in and they (garda) should knock on the door.”

Insp Keller said a comfortable and relaxing environment was critical in easing the anxiety of victims.

Writing in the current issue of the Garda management journal, Communique, he said the problem needed to be tackled.

“While accepting that major refurbishment of Garda Stations on a country-wide basis would be prohibitive in terms of cost, this matter clearly needs to be addressed.”

Insp Keller said another problem for the children was the slowness of interviewers writing down their statement also irritated children and that some of the children suggested that tape recorders be used instead.

Insp Keller said that children also wanted to be kept informed by gardaí on the progress of the investigation, with two of the eight children complaining about the lack of follow up.

Despite the problems, he said the children were generally happy with the actual gardaí who interviewed them.