Our purpose

Through the Intersectoral Group for the Prevention and Investigation of Homicides of Children and Adolescents, the Foundation led a national assessment to advance concrete solutions to this issue. This collaborative work aims to improve the State’s response and prevent these types of crimes.

The Foundation launched a new line of work aimed at strengthening the early detection and investigation of homicides and suspicious deaths of children and adolescents. That year, the diploma program developed with the Catholic University concluded after 10 years, 14 editions, and over 800 trained professionals.

One of the year’s milestones was the Family Meeting. In addition, amendments to the Parole Law were approved, and the project “Do you know what to do if you learn about a sexual crime against children and adolescents?” was launched to inform and guide caregivers and communities.

The third and final stage of implementing the Videorecorded Interview Law began. The Foundation continued supporting public institutions and launched the Interviewer’s Handbook and the Intermediary’s Handbook, key tools for strengthening specialized work in investigations involving child victims.

The Foundation supported families who faced the loss of their children and continued providing comprehensive assistance throughout their judicial processes. Under Law 21.057, it designed and implemented an Online Training Course for Interviewers, using the Moodle platform and evaluating participants’ learning outcomes.

The Foundation continued promoting the prevention of secondary victimization through contributions to public policy, technical information, and training for child-protection institutions. It also continued supporting families affected by serious crimes, providing multidisciplinary assistance and specialized guidance in their search for justice and reparation.

The Foundation represented the mother of Ámbar, a one-year-seven-month-old girl who was raped and killed in Los Andes. After 16 months of investigation and a month-long trial, the perpetrator received a sentence of qualified life imprisonment. That year, the first stage of implementation of Law 21.057 began.

In January, the Law on Video-Recorded Interviews was enacted. To mark this milestone, Amparo y Justicia inaugurated the “Protection and Hope” Children’s Stairway in Providencia, an urban installation symbolizing the importance of caring for and protecting children throughout Chile.

The Foundation began working with criminal justice institutions to train specialized interviewers and instructors, developing the first official courses. In October, after four years of legislative review, the Law on Video-Recorded Interviews was approved—a key milestone for the protection of children and adolescents.

The fourth meeting with families affected by serious crimes was held, continuing the Foundation’s ongoing support. That year, the first edition of the book Video-Recorded Investigative Interview was published to consolidate good practices and support the specialized training of criminal justice professionals.

The Executive Branch submitted the Bill on Video-Recorded Interviews to Congress. Together with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the Foundation launched the first edition of the diploma program “The Rights of Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Crimes and the Judicial System”.

To support the future implementation of the video-recorded interview system, the Foundation launched the campaign “Don’t ask me again”. The initiative sought to raise awareness of the need to avoid repeated statements and protect children and adolescents from secondary victimization during investigative processes.

Following the work of technical committees and a review of international experiences, the Foundation submitted a draft bill to the Executive to create a system of video-recorded interviews. The proposal aimed to protect children and adolescents during criminal investigations.

Amparo y Justicia and the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security signed an agreement to strengthen support for families affected by cases of rape resulting in the death of a child, ensuring timely and specialized assistance. That year, an intersectoral working group was convened, and the third international seminar was held.

A second seminar on sexual offenses was held, bringing together officials from various institutions in the criminal justice system. In addition, the first inter-institutional working group was formed to analyze how to prevent secondary victimization of children and adolescents and strengthen coordination among public actors.

After taking cases of sexual offenses without fatal outcomes, the Foundation added the reduction of secondary victimization to its mission. That year, it held the first international seminar on sexual offenses against children and adolescents, promoting debate and specialized training within the justice system.

Amparo y Justicia took on the Alto Hospicio case, providing legal representation to the families of the teenagers who were raped and murdered by a serial offender. It also offered psychosocial support and guidance throughout the judicial process, strengthening its direct work with the families.

Amparo y Justicia was founded after the lack of protection faced by the family of a five-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Talcahuano. That same year, three other cases in Coelemu, Valparaíso, and Hualañé shocked the country and led to the creation of the Foundation.