This report presents the conclusions of comparative legal research on the rights and protection of vulnerable victims in criminal proceedings. It highlights the most relevant results from the implementation of Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012. The Directive established minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime in nine European Union Member States, including Spain, with a specific focus on victims with special protection needs.
The report is divided by Member State and structured as follows:
- A summary that identifies and analyses legislation and regulations that have been adopted to set protocols for the treatment of victims with special protection needs during criminal proceedings, and how the local legislation compares to the EU Directive
- A detailed description of the specific measures and procedures adopted to protect victims with special protection needs in criminal proceedings, which includes measures applicable to judges, prosecutors, court staff, police officers, healthcare practitioners and any other practitioners that come in contact with victims as part of criminal proceedings
- A summary of case law and any reported data that shows how this legislation and the EU Directive are being interpreted and how these special measures and procedures are being applied in practice
The research will be used to inform the work of professionals in the administration of justice in Spain and to promote the adoption of regulations and specific protocols containing measures to assist and protect particularly vulnerable victims during their progress through the criminal justice system. The findings of the research will also be disseminated more widely among EU members to encourage the adoption of best practices and enhanced protections.
Please find the link to the Executive Summary of the report on the left.