Ministry of Justice, Finland

Suspicions of crimes against children must always be reported to the police. If the interests of the child and the parents differ, the child needs a representative of its own at the pre-trial examination and the trial. This is particularly important, when the suspect is a family member. Legal assistance must also be available to the child.

If there is reason to believe that a child has become a victim of a sex or violent offence, the account of the child during the pre-trial investigation is usually recorded on video. When the account has been recorded, it may not be necessary to hear the child again during the trial.