Human Rights Commission: "Rights to Protection and Support for Sexual Violence Victims Must Be Notified Multiple Times"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has expressed the opinion that it is necessary to improve police work procedures to protect the human rights of sexual violence victims.

Yonhap News

On the 13th, the NHRCK announced that it expressed the opinion to the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency that when sexual violence victims are investigated multiple times, the notification and confirmation of their rights to protection and support should not be limited to just once.

Sexual violence victims are informed about their rights and support systems during police investigations, such as "connection to protective facilities or provision of temporary accommodation," "customized patrols around their residence," "registration of the victim’s phone number in the 112 system," and "issuance of smartwatches capable of 112 emergency calls and rapid dispatch in urgent situations." After the police explain these protective measures, the victim chooses whether to apply for them.

However, from the second investigation onward, the police only ask whether the victim has been informed of these measures, but do not re-notify the victim of these details. The NHRCK judged that since additional investigations do not negate their effectiveness, the importance of the victim’s testimony remains, and the need to protect victims continues regardless of the number of investigations, notification and confirmation of protection for crime victims should be conducted every time.

Accordingly, pursuant to Article 25, Paragraph 1 of the Human Rights Commission Act, the NHRCK decided to express the opinion to improve the system by implementing a measure to notify the rights related to protection and support for sexual violence victims every time.