On June 26, Fundación Amparo y Justicia took part in the seminar “Sexual offenses: Current perspectives, challenges and strategies, a view from the 40 year history of the Sex Crimes Investigation Brigade of Valparaíso”, organized by the Investigative Police of Chile (PDI) in Valparaíso.
The event brought together justice system professionals, partner organizations, and national and international experts, with the aim of strengthening interinstitutional coordination, preventing secondary victimization, and promoting specialized investigation of sexual crimes against children and adolescents, in the context of the implementation of the Videorecorded Interview Law.
Carolina Pavez, sociologist and researcher at Fundación Amparo y Justicia, gave a presentation titled “Statistical Tool for Transparent Data on Sexual Offenses Against Children and Adolescents.” In her talk, she explained the operation of the Fundación Amparo y Justicia Statistical Center (CEFAJ, by its initials in Spanish), a tool designed to provide clear and interactive access to information regarding the filing and processing of cases related to sexual crimes against children and adolescents.
María José Bowen, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs and Public Policy Advocacy at the Foundation, also shared a reflection on the remaining challenges in the criminal justice system and the need for a victim-centered and specialized approach.
“Participating in this event allowed us to reaffirm the importance of understanding the challenges involved in investigating sexual crimes against children and adolescents in order to move toward effective criminal prosecution. Only through a specialized and coordinated institutional approach can we ensure justice for victims,” said María José Bowen.