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Under the same roof. This is the idea behind Barnahus, the care service for children and adolescents victims of sexual violence that has been operating since 2020 in Tarragona. It is a Government project, a pioneer in both Catalonia and Spain, which has developed a multidisciplinary and specialized team. Before the end of 2023, there will be 12 more services like this in operation.
The main driving force is the Department of Social Rights – through the General Directorate of Child and Adolescent Care – but in coordination with Health, Education, Justice, Interior and Equality and Feminism.
The Barnahus (children’s house in Icelandic) has the appearance of a home, so that children and their families recognize it as a friendly space that provides security and trust. A full-time psychosocial team works there and, in addition, there are other professionals who travel there when necessary or who connect via video conference to prevent the victim and his family from having to resort to different authorities involved in these processes: police station, court, children’s service, medical center…
In this way, the victim only has to explain the abuse they have suffered once to a specialized team, which is responsible for their development and recovery. This avoids revictimization through the coordination of all parties involved, but also minimizes the contamination of the witness with a view to a possible judicial inquiry.
Since Barnahus opened, the detection of cases of sexual abuse among children and adolescents in Camp de Tarragona has increased fourfold. It’s not that there are more sexual assaults on children in Tarragona, it’s that now more are reported, thanks to the work of prevention and detection of situations of abuse, as well as the multidisciplinary and interdepartmental approach with which the team
Given the good results of the service in Tarragona, and in order to continue working to improve the prevention, detection, treatment and prosecution of sexual abuse of children and adolescents, the Government has decided to extend the network of these facilities throughout the territory, with a total of 13 Barnahus services, which will be in operation this 2023. The new services will be located in Tortosa, Vilanova i la Geltrú, El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, ​​Badalona, ​​Granollers, Mataró, Terrassa, Manresa, Lleida, the Headquarters of Urgell and Girona.
Barnahus de Tarragona has opened new facilities. The new building – located, like the previous one, in the Educational Complex – was designed by Garreta Arquitectes. The facilities reproduce a home, with a comfortable environment, with a bioclimatic system and are built with healthy materials. There are separate waiting rooms to protect privacy, which are equipped with furniture, toys, magazines and books suitable for the age and needs of young and old users.
All service rooms are soundproofed and accessible. In addition, the rooms are equipped to carry out forensic interviews and exploratory interviews, as well as family interviews and are connected to an audiovisual communication system.
