Authorities need to fix criminal procedures so victims of child sex abuse do not have to repeatedly recall their bad memories before investigators, the state human rights watchdog said Tuesday.
Experts say children who are sexually assaulted often suffer mental distress when they are forced to retell instances of abuse for investigation purposes.
In 13 out of 54 cases surveyed, the victims had to make the same statement twice -- once before the police and another before the prosecution -- the National Human Rights Commission said, quoting an analysis by the
Korean Women's Development Institute.
The watchdog body urged the chief prosecutor to allow the victim to give a single testimony before experts, prosecutors and police investigators. It also recommended accepting videotaped testimonies as legal evidence and
scrapping a regulation allowing all parents, even if involved in the case, to attend the entire investigative procedures.
The court also should implement protective measures such as forcing judges to wear casual clothing or using relay devices when questioning child victims of sexual assault, the commission said.