Ukrainian city of Poltava welcomes new children’s support center for domestic violence victims

The ninth interdisciplinary support center for children, named "Barnahus," has been opened in the Ukrainian city of Poltava, Rubryka reports, citing the General Prosecutor's Office.

What's the problem?

From September 2021 to October 2023, a total of 162 children across all currently operating centers in Ukraine received services based on the "Barnahus" model. Out of this number, 83% were children who suffered from violence, and 17% were children who witnessed violence, according to Mariana Hevko, a psychologist in the Center for the Protection and Socio-Psychological Support during the Investigation and Justice Process for Children.

She mentioned specific statistics on child sexual violence in the last six months.

"From March to November 2023, we have 73 children who have experienced sexual violence. However, we differentiate between direct victims and witnesses. So, we have 68 affected children and five witnesses," said Hevko.

There's a stereotype that associates teenage victims with sexual violence, but Hevko emphasized that "official statistics and criminal investigations show that these are children under ten years old."

"It's important to note that this is official statistics, part of criminal proceedings already in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations. The real numbers might differ due to several reasons, such as children not reporting to adults out of fear, shame, or disbelief. There are cases where children report to adults, but the adults do not inform the relevant authorities, either out of fear or doubt, especially when violence occurs within their families," said Hevko.

Moreover, there are instances where the crimes are not reported by the concerned parties themselves, including the police or child protection services, as well as educators who may not believe the child's account.

Hevko emphasized that in "Barnahus" centers, all services for a child, once they come into contact with the justice system, are provided under one roof.

"The child doesn't go to different agencies; the agencies come to the child. Therefore, if necessary, the investigator, prosecutor, psychologist, child protection service, child's attorney, and a doctor all work together," said the psychologist.

In this process, it's crucial to minimize trauma to the child, plan everything meticulously, and plan post-assistance as well.

"The goal is for the child to go through this process with minimal risk to their psychological and physical health and receive the maximum help they need," said Hevko.

What's the solution?

Poltava becomes the ninth region in Ukraine where the Center for the Protection and Socio-Psychological Support of Children, victims or witnesses of violence, according to the "Barnahus" model, has started operating. The center was inaugurated on December 20, 2023, in the city of Poltava, as stated in the announcement.

How does it work?

During the center's opening, Yulia Usenk, the head of the Department for the Protection of Children's Interests and the Prevention of Domestic Violence at the Prosecutor General's Office, highlighted that the development of interdisciplinary child support centers following the "Barnahus" model was one of the essential elements in shaping child-friendly justice. These centers are crucial for children involved in the criminal justice system.

"Children's testimonies in criminal proceedings are crucial in proving the guilt of offenders. However, the child and their interests should be the top priority. Therefore, these centers will not only provide victims with psychological support but also ensure rehabilitation. Their goal is to help the child go through what happened to them with minimal trauma," said Usenk.

Yevhen Hladii, the head of the Poltava Regional Prosecutor's Office, added that the interests of children should be a top priority for all state institutions. Therefore, the center's opening is another step towards the joint work of juvenile prosecutors, law enforcement, psychologists, and child protection workers.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Oleksandr Banchuk, the director of the Department for Monitoring the Rights of the Child at the Secretariat of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Alla Tarasiuk, the head of Child Protection projects of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine Van Chi Pham, and leaders or representatives from the Poltava Regional Military Administration, Poltava Regional Council, law enforcement agencies, and other institutions responsible for child protection.

The General Prosecutor's Office reminded that similar centers have already been opened in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Ternopil, Chernivtsi regions, and Kyiv.

Background 

"Barnahus" (translated as "child's house") is a specialized institution for working with children who have suffered or witnessed violence. In these centers, children are interviewed for investigations in a child-friendly environment. The recorded interviews can be used as evidence in court to avoid re-traumatizing the child. The first such institution was opened in 1998 in Iceland and has since been adopted by other Northern European countries.

As reported by Rubryka, a similar center for protection and socio-psychological support, following the "Barnahus" model, has been launched in the capital.