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Interviewing Victims Methods

The document discusses best practices for interviewing victims of human trafficking, outlining the 5 stages of the PEACE model for victim interviews - planning and preparation, engage and explain, account, closure, and evaluation - and providing guidance on techniques for each stage such as using open-ended questions, allowing pauses for recollection, and summarizing the interview before closing. The challenges of interviewing trafficking victims are also addressed, such as potential memory loss, fear of traffickers, and changing accounts due to trauma.

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97 views22 pages

Interviewing Victims Methods

The document discusses best practices for interviewing victims of human trafficking, outlining the 5 stages of the PEACE model for victim interviews - planning and preparation, engage and explain, account, closure, and evaluation - and providing guidance on techniques for each stage such as using open-ended questions, allowing pauses for recollection, and summarizing the interview before closing. The challenges of interviewing trafficking victims are also addressed, such as potential memory loss, fear of traffickers, and changing accounts due to trauma.

Uploaded by

gatewayofhope malawi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

Workshop

TIP VICTIM INTERVIEW

Presenter:
Maxwell MATEWERE
OBJECTIVE
Understand the Role of law enforcement
officers when interviewing victims of TIP
who are potential witnesses

Identify the five stages of a victim


interview in the PEACE model
VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING
1. May not speak local language
2. May not see themselves as victims
3. May feel responsible for a family
debt
4. Do not trust police, Immigration,
Labour Inspectors
5. Fear their traffickers
6. May have Memory loss
7. May not yet have been exploited
VICTIM INTERVIEW
TECHNIQUES
Interviews are an essential component in
the investigation and prosecution of
Trafficking in Persons (TIP), whether to
identify possible trafficking, obtain
victim/ witness accounts or to question
suspects.
Conti………………
The most challenging of those interviews
is that of victim/ witnesses.
 The effects of traumatisation mean that they may be
hostile to interviewers, their ability to recall detail
can be severely impaired and their accounts may
change.
PEACE MODEL
Planning and Preparation

Engage and Explain

Account

Closure

Evaluation.
Planning and Preparation

Gives the interviewer the opportunity to:


Review the investigation
Establish what material is already available
Decide on what the aims and objectives of
the interview are.
Every interview must be prepared with the
needs of the investigation in mind.
CONTI…………….
 Age – knowing the interviewee’s age helps to
determine the best time to undertake the
interview and whether an appropriate
adult/interview supporter is required

 Languages – which languages do they speak


and understand – importantly, which do they
speak and understand best? Do you need an
interpreter?
Conti……………
 Cultural background – this can affect
the way a person prefers to be addressed,
and may also indicate the need for an
interpreter

 Religion or belief – e.g. interviewers may


need to take prayer requirements into
account
Conti…………..
 Domestic circumstances – this can help to
identify other people who may be useful to the
investigation, e.g., family, associates or
neighbours. However, be aware that in some
cases family etc may be involved in the TIP

 Physical and mental health – knowledge of an


existing medical condition and ensuring that
appropriate facilities are used
Conti …………………
 Impairment – hearing, sight loss etc may need
particular resources

 Gender – in certain types of crime, eg, sexual


offences or domestic violence, it is important to
consider the gender of the interviewee. Potentially
sensitive issues such as an interviewee’s sexual
orientation or gender assignment should be
approached tactfully, if these matters become
relevant to the interview.
Engage and Explain

First, start with neutral conversation. Ask


the person their name, how they liked to be
called.
Questions about if they feel comfortable,
have had a drink, something to eat etc. are
good to start with. They are very neutral,
suggest you care about the person and help
relax people.
Conti…………………
 Explain who are there – second interviewer,
social supporter etc. – and what their role is.
 Explainthe equipment in the room, why it is there
and what will happen to things like tapes.
 If you are going to make notes tell the
interviewees why.
 Itmay be useful to inform the interviewee that although
you want to establish certain facts and issues, it is their
opportunity to give their account of events.
Conti…………….
Encourage the interviewee to say
anything which they feel is relevant and
explain there is no time limit for the
interview
Explain that as much detail as possible is
required – particularly as you weren’t
there and don’t know locations, people
etc.
Account
The most common way of initiating an
account is simply to use an open-ended
prompt, such as, ‘tell me what happened’.
During the account continue to use
‘active listening’ techniques to encourage
the interviewee to talk.
Conti………………
Monitor and adapt your non-verbal behaviour
- adopt an appropriate posture, orientation
towards and distance from the interviewee. Be
positive and polite throughout.
 Allow the interviewee to pause so that they can
search their memory, without interrupting. Note also
that most people want to fill silences – in some
circumstances silence can also be a prompt to talk.
WHY QUESTIONS
You are advised not to use ‘Why?’
questions in TIP victim interviews. This is
because they can imply you want the
interviewee to justify themselves. For
example ‘Why did you believe that?’ can be
taken to suggest a person was stupid or
complicit in their victimisation.
CONTI……………….
A feature of TIP victim interviews is that their
accounts change. This is mainly due to the effects of
traumatisation. It’s also because events may have
taken over a long period of time and in many
locations.
 Investigators take a changed account to mean a
person is lying. Of course, it’s possible a person is
lying but in TIP cases there is a very good chance
they are not – they are simply confused by very
distressing experiences.
Closure
• Where there are two interviewers, the lead
interviewer should check that the second
interviewer has no further questions
before closing the interview.
 The interviewer should accurately summarise what the
interviewee has said, taking account of any clarification
that the interviewee wishes to make.
 Any questions the interviewee asks should be dealt with.
Conti…………….
The interviewer should then bring the
interview to a conclusion by preparing a
witness statement if appropriate or, where
the interviewee is a suspect, by
announcing the date and time before
turning the recording equipment off.
They should then explain to the
interviewee what will happen next.
Evaluation
Following an interview, the interviewer needs to
evaluate what has been said with a view to:
Determining whether any further action is necessary

Determining how the interviewee’s account fits in


with the rest of the investigation

Reflecting on the interviewer’s performance.

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