International Journal on Criminology Volume 2, Number 1, Spring 2014 | Page 59

The Impact of Victimological Theories on the Rights of Crime Victims in France be listened to. The conditions in which the victim is received are essential to their recognition, from the moment they report the offense, to the execution of court decisions. There is a need for dedicated, adapted premises, with the necessary technical equipment (for audiovisual or digital recordings of hearings), in order to record the first, always difficult, moments in which the victim recalls their experience. These must help to avoid repetition of the painful circumstances of the victimization further down the line. In all of these locations, multidisciplinary teams or specially trained personnel must be available to listen to victims and help them express themselves, during the physical and psychological ordeal of recounting their experiences. Such an ability to listen and, above all, to reformulate what the victim has expressed does not come naturally: it requires specialist training and continuing professional development. If they cannot share the painful emotions created by the crime, victims become highly frustrated and struggle to understand. They may experience doubts about the usefulness of the process and the real gravity of the events, or feel that the criminal justice system is defending its own interests. The victim’s statements need to be heard and believed, as part of the presumption of victimhood. There is nothing more traumatizing than having one’s words doubted, without nuance or precaution. They also need to be understood (if necessary, via an interpreter). This needs to happen at a pace that spares them physical and psychological fatigue, and irreproachable professional methods need to be observed. All victims have the right to help in the form of emergency financial or material assistance, when such resources exist. Dedicated funds should be made available to victim support services in particular, so that they can meet the immediate material needs after the offense: cash, hotel bookings, and taxis home, for example. Moreover, citizen support from trained volunteers in the hours immediately following the victimization should be promoted, to meet needs such as collecting children from school, checking whether any domestic constraints might cause additional distress, securing premises after burglary in agreement with the local authorities, and driving the victim to the various locations where their victimization will be addressed. All victims have the right to be informed about the results and characteristics of the proceedings that might be engaged, be they criminal, civil, administrative, or disciplinary. They must therefore be able to call upon any relevant institutions or services. Information also has an influence on the victim’s precise rights in getting their demands met, as regards the situation of the perpetrator and their punishment. This requires widespread victim support services, “one-stop shop” registries, forensic units, and legal advice centers which are adapted to the specific characteristics of territories. Also important in this respect is the recent extension of the judge delegated for victims, assisted by a victims’ bureau, to all regional courts. Primarily, the role of victim support services seems to be primordial in assisting victims in the wider sense, in terms of legal information, and psychological and social help. The huge decrease in public funding is incomprehensible, given the needs so frequently expressed by victims, and the savings that could be made by offering immediate professional support following the event. All victims have the right to protection from the perpetrator, and all necessary measures must be taken to avoid contact. To achieve this, the perpetrator can be banned from receiving, meeting, or entering into contact with the victim in any way, 57