The Act no. 274/2017 Coll. on Victims (Victims´ Act) recognises the category of particularly vulnerable victims. These victims often become victims because of their characteristics or the crime that occurred has a severe impact on the victim in several aspects (e.g. combination of bodily harm and other trauma) or due to the relation to the perpetrator are at higher risk of becoming a victim repeatedly.
The Victims´ Act specifies categories of these victims in order to ensure their protection, specific treatment by the law enforcement authorities in the course of criminal proceedings and access so specialised help and support provided by victim support organisations.
Particularly vulnerable victims include:
- people over the age of 75,
- people with disabilities,
- victims of crime of abuse of a close and entrusted person, victims of human trafficking, victims of enforced disappearance or any other crime against human dignity (e.g. rape, sexual abuse),
- victims of hate crimes,
- victims of other crimes who are at a higher risk of victimisation (i.e. further harm as a result of the crime in the form of repeated threats, intimidation or continuation of the crime committed by the perpetrator, or insensitive conduct on the part of state authorities or their inaction to provide protection). This higher risk is identified on the basis of an individual assessment and is linked to the victim’s relationship or dependence on the perpetrator.
Particularly vulnerable victims have additional rights, especially right to specialised help and support provided by victim support organisation. Law enforcement authorities (police, prosecutor) and courts are obliged to treat particularly vulnerable victims in a sensitive manner and e.g. consult their questioning with psychologist or record it for further use in criminal proceedings.