Forensic Interviewing of Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused

This article gives parents, survivors, and professionals an overview of forensic interviewing. It is short and clear as well. It is not an academic treatise. The article shows that interviewing children who have been sexually abused requires sensitive, responsive interviewers and an interview structure that fits children’s level of development.

Sensitivity is important because most children who have experienced child sexual abuse are traumatized and the interview itself can be stressful. This article describes an interview used to gather evidence for court cases when children have been sexually abused. Competence in forensic interviewing of children requires in-depth training.