NCJ Number
144843
Date Published
1990
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video uses lecture and simulation to explain and demonstrate how to conduct interviews with suspected child victims of sexual abuse.
Abstract
The video suggests that interviews with suspected child sexual abuse victims be videotaped, so as to eliminate the need for multiple, possibly traumatic, interviews with child victims and provide an accurate visual as well as audio record of the interview. In discussing the logistics of the interview, attention is given to the location. It should be a neutral place unrelated to police or court facilities, such as a church, school, or office. A carpet should be on the floor to permit both interviewer and interviewee to recline and sit. Props should include anatomically correct dolls, art materials, and other instruments or materials that might aid the child in explaining any sexual abuse. A pre-interview with the child can help build rapport between the interviewer and the child, as well as acquaint the interviewer with the child's vocabulary and perceptions. The interview proper, as shown in simulation, consists primarily of questions. The video cautions that no question should be asked more than once, so as not to suggest to the child that the first answer was wrong or that the question must be answered. An interview checklist is portrayed to indicate what information should be covered in the interview. At the conclusion of the video, the use of the videotape in criminal case processing is discussed.