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A lone voice in the wilderness? Persistent problems with victim support in Czechia

Samotny głos wołającego na pustyni? Utrzymujące się problemy w zakresie wspierania pokrzywdzonych w Czechach

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  • Michaela Roubalova,
  • Hana Preslickova,
  • Jakub Holas
Michaela Roubalova
Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention
Hana Preslickova
Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention
Jakub Holas
Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention

Published 2025-04-07

Keywords

  • victims of crime,
  • victim support,
  • Czechia,
  • legislative framework,
  • secondary victimisation

Copyright (c) 2024 Michaela Roubalova, Hana Preslickova, Jakub Holas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

“A lone voice in the wilderness? Persistent problems with victim support in Czechia: Samotny głos wołającego na pustyni? Utrzymujące się problemy w zakresie wspierania pokrzywdzonych w Czechach” (2025) Archives of Criminology, p. 18 pp. doi:10.7420/AK2025.01.
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Abstract

This article examines the challenges in implementing victim support in Czechia and highlights discrepancies between legislative frameworks and practical applications. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, including a focus group conducted in 2017 with experts in victim support and an expert survey in 2022. While the 2013 adoption of the Act on Victims of Crime led to notable improvements in victims’ rights and services, persistent problems include ineffective information delivery, regional disparities in service provision and a lack of inter-agency coordination. The article concludes that while legislative reforms have laid a solid foundation, systemic changes and practical implementation are essential to ensuring effective victim support and mitigating secondary victimisation.

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References

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