Victims with Intellectual Disabilities through the Spanish Criminal Justice System

Abstract

This research is the result of analysing twenty-nine cases of persons with intellectual disabilities who were victims of some type of mistreatment or abuse and who, after filing a complaint, were processed through the criminal justice system – not always with all the recommended support. The study analyses the experiences of these alleged victims of crime to determine the source and scope of the primary obstacles blocking their access to proper and effective protection under the law, in order to assess Spain's compliance with Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 25 October 2012, which establishes minimum standards for the rights, support, and protection of victims of crime. Based on the report's conclusions, the authors formulate a number of recommendations for lawmakers.