Barcelona Launches Specialized Unit for Vulnerable Victims
Barcelona has established Spain's first specialized unit of prosecutors to handle cases involving vulnerable victims of violence and abuse. The unit, which processed 200 cases in its first two months, is being viewed as a GovTech service design pattern for delivering targeted, multi-disciplinary interventions for at-risk populations.
- The unit's approach is aligned with the broader EU Strategy on Victims' Rights (2020-2025), which emphasizes the need for specialized support services for the most vulnerable victims to prevent secondary victimization and intimidation. This strategy encourages member states to set up integrated and targeted services, a framework the Barcelona unit directly implements. - For cases involving children, the unit utilizes the "Barnahus" (Children's House) model, a European service design pattern originating in the Nordic countries. This model brings together all relevant professionals—judges, prosecutors, police, social workers, and psychologists—under one roof in a child-friendly environment to avoid re-traumatizing children through repeated interviews in different locations. - The adoption of the Barnahus model is a growing trend across Spain, with 14 centers already operating in Catalonia and a national government commitment to expand the model to other regions. This effort is supported by the European Commission, which is funding projects to strengthen and coordinate Barnahus-type services throughout Spain. - The unit is led by prosecutor Fèlix Martín and consists of five prosecutors who interpret vulnerability broadly, including not only minors and people with disabilities but also "situational vulnerability," which can arise from power imbalances. Only Martín is dedicated exclusively to this unit, with the other four prosecutors combining this work with other duties. - This victim-centered model represents a significant shift from focusing on the crime to focusing on the victim's protection throughout the judicial process. The creation of the unit was enabled by Spain's Organizational Efficiency Law, which aims to modernize the public justice service. - The unit's multidisciplinary approach involves collaboration with psychologists and educators to take advance statements from minors, a practice that prevents the child from having to appear in court. This method aligns with the core principles of child-friendly justice promoted by the Council of Europe. - Beyond individual cases, the unit also handles those with complex criminological profiles, such as serial offenders or cases where the defendant has a mental disorder, aiming to detect these issues earlier in the judicial process.
