Welcome to the Virtual Interview Room!
This website was created bearing in mind children who are being interviewed in criminal proceedings as witnesses under the protective procedure regulated by Articles 185a–185c and 185e of the Polish Code of Criminal Procedure. This procedure is designed to protect both child and adult witnesses from the negative effects of giving testimony.
In Poland, there is no widespread and consistent practice for preparing children for interviews in criminal cases. A substitute for such preparation may be the opportunity to see the Friendly Interview Room where the interview will take place and to receive at least some basic information about what the interview looks like and what rights the child has during the process.
This website gives children - especially those struggling with difficult family situations, loneliness, or being left alone with their experience of a crime and the upcoming interview - a chance to prepare for the interview and learn about the process in an engaging and child-friendly way, even without leaving home. It also supports parents, who may themselves feel confused and frightened by the fact that their child is to be interviewed by the court.
The key feature of the website is the opportunity to take a virtual tour of the Friendly Interview Room, where the child’s interview will take place. Through the site „wirtualnypokojprzesluchan.pl”, children can - on their own or with the help of a parent, guardian, or other trusted person - calmly explore the room interactively and receive the most important information about the process.
The “Virtual Interview Room” project, which led to the creation of this website, is a social initiative carried out solely thanks to people who are committed to advocating for children’s rights and protecting them from the negative consequences of participating in criminal proceedings.
You can learn more about the project, its guidelines, and the reasoning behind the creation of this website in the “About the Project” tab located in the top menu.
We are not able to eliminate child abuse or children’s experiences of crime in Poland. However, through this website, we want to give children a real opportunity to prepare for participating in an interview.
We hope you enjoy our tour of the Virtual Interview Room!
r. pr. dr Katarzyna Osiak-Krynicka
Project Coordinator
