What are these ten gendarmes doing with an owl puppet in their hands?
They are learning about a very serious subject: gaining the trust of children.
In a context of freedom of speech for victims of domestic and sexual violence, investigators know that collecting the reliable testimony of a minor is always a very delicate exercise.
Each of the gendarmes in training that day experienced it several times within their brigade.
Marine Maiher, gendarme in Bruz, near Rennes, remembers these two sisters who were regularly beaten with sticks, but who assured her that "no, no, it doesn't hurt".
The fear of the gendarme is still present.
“We are not necessarily viewed with kindness by families,” she explains.
On February 20 and 21, Marine and her colleagues participated in the first French training in the Calliope program provided by the Alexis Danan Committee of Brittany.
“Many children feel abused by the judicial machine.
Our intervention guide helps prepare them for this unknown world, ”explains Céline Gougeon, one of the social workers at this association specializing in child protection.
Calliope is inspired by an existing protocol in Quebec in crime victim assistance centers (Cavac).
Its basis is simple: a child must be prepared, supported, feel safe in court, but also be questioned in language appropriate to his age and level of development.
"The more prepared we are, the better we deliver the words"
This program of support for the word of the youngest facilitates the collection of their testimony in court.
The association has already experimented with 55 minors over the past two years.
“Often, the children do not speak and the hearing goes badly, remarks the president Laurence Brunet-Jambu.
Result: the procedures are closed for lack of information.
This woman has been involved for several years after her niece, victim of abuse, was heard in very bad conditions.
Even if professionals are already more and more trained to collect the testimony of minors in good conditions, in particular by following the American protocol of the National Institute of Child Health and Human (NICHD), this is still insufficient.
“The current problem is that we get to know the child the same day as the hearing, when he is stressed.
It's complicated to put him in confidence, ”says the Marshal of the head quarters Amélie Blondeau.
These complicated cases require a lot of patience.
"Cécile Peronnet, another Marshal of the head quarters, of the Rennes family protection brigade, thus waited a year before being able to hear a young girl, while maintaining the link with her by SMS, until the day when the teenager finally felt ready to speak.
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The military has high hopes for the Calliope program.
The objective is to meet the minor during interviews before the hearing in order to create a link and, of course, without ever talking about the procedure at this stage, in particular so as not to needlessly relive the trauma. .
Knowing how to answer complicated questions, demonstrate certainty, not change version, correct adults if necessary… These one-on-one sessions should allow the investigator to develop skills useful for testimony.
The program plans to use role plays and use puppets.
“The more prepared we are, the better we deliver the words”, assures Emmanuelle Vinayagasoubirame, social worker specializing in child development and disability.
Unlike other countries like Switzerland, Belgium, Israel or New Zealand, France is lagging behind on this subject.
“There is a lack of resources to maintain the care of child victims in an organized and structured manner.
A child should not be heard by just anyone.
It's a constant battle with our colleagues and the hierarchy, ”notes Cécile Peronnet.
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Law enforcement, social workers, psychologists, magistrates ... The Alexis Danan Committee of Brittany hopes to be able to train around a hundred people in these advanced methods in the area of the Rennes Court of Appeal.
