Beyond Words: Turning Victims’ Rights into Action Across Europe
How do we ensure that victims’ rights are not just ideals but actionable realities? Aleksandra Anikina, Communications Officer at the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI), shares insights on how research can drive systemic change. From advocating for stronger victim support frameworks to bridging the gaps between policy and practice, HEUNI plays a vital role in shaping justice systems that truly serve those in need. In this interview, Anikina discusses the key challenges, necessary reforms, and the power of international collaboration in making victims’ rights a priority across Europe.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): HEUNI has long been involved in international crime prevention and control. How do you see your ongoing research and activities contributing to the goals of the “Year of Victims’ Rights” campaign?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): At HEUNI, we don’t just do research, we try to push for real, systemic change. Today, our work keeps alive the legacy of HEUNI’s founder, Inkeri Anttila (also the first female professor of criminal law at the University of Helsinki and the first female Minister of Justice). She believed that “criminologists are not of much use if they remain sitting in their chambers thinking wise thoughts.” We take that to heart by producing research that leads to action.
The “Year of Victims’ Rights” campaign is about ensuring that victims’ rights are universal, fully recognised and realised, and backed by sustainable funding. Our research has shown that victims often fall through the cracks due to inconsistent support systems across Europe. We use this evidence to advocate for national frameworks that guarantee all crime victim support, not just for certain groups. We also work on training law enforcement and legal professionals to make justice systems more comprehensive and more accessible for victims.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): With your focus on research and innovation in criminal justice, what key advancements do you think are needed to ensure comprehensive and universal support for all victims of crime across Europe?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): Our studies have consistently revealed significant disparities in victim support services across Europe, highlighting the urgent need for harmonised, comprehensive frameworks.
For example, our Unseen Victims report from 2021 highlighted how refugee women who experience gender-based violence often struggle to get the assistance they need, either due to language barriers, lack of legal aid, or fear of authorities. The report also highlighted the challenges these women face when trying to navigate the asylum AND the criminal justice processes. These are systemic failures that demand urgent change. HEUNI’s recent work includes work on labour exploitation and other forms of human trafficking, forced marriages and crimes committed against children, particularly online sexual offences. In all of these forms of crime, societies struggle to cope with new forms of exploitation, and victims fall behind. This is the key motivator of our work – to help authorities and professionals support victims and ensure fair and victim-friendly justice processes.
One key advancement is ensuring that all professionals who interact with victims, such as police, prosecutors, and social workers, receive proper training in victim-sensitive approaches. Such approaches entail respectful encounters, evidence-based and skilled hearings and interviews and an adaptation to the cultural context and linguistic needs of the individual victim. Without it, victims may be retraumatized or discouraged from seeking justice at all, or the justice process may fail to achieve the high-quality evidence needed. We also need to establish frameworks that guarantee access to comprehensive, all-crime victim support services, so that no one is left behind simply because their case doesn’t fit into existing categories. Also, funding must be stable and long-term, not dependent on short-term projects that disappear when the money runs out.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): The “Year of Victims’ Rights” campaign aims to place victims at the centre of EU policies. From HEUNI’s perspective, how can cooperation between European countries, the EU, and the Council of Europe help shape victim-centred criminal justice policies?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): Cooperation between European countries, the EU, and the Council of Europe is crucial for making victim-centred criminal justice policies more than just good intentions because they need to work in practice. HEUNI’s research has repeatedly shown that victims often face completely different levels of support depending on where they are. Some countries offer strong legal aid, shelters, and psychological support, while in others, victims struggle to navigate the justice system alone. This is exactly where international cooperation can make a difference.
The EU can set binding legal standards, like the Victims’ Rights Directive, but without strong monitoring and enforcement, implementation remains uneven. The Council of Europe plays a key role in providing oversight, particularly through mechanisms like GRETA, which evaluates how countries support trafficking victims. Meanwhile, European countries themselves must commit to sharing best practices and ensuring that victim support doesn’t stop at their borders.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): How can HEUNI contribute to fostering a more cohesive and consistent support system for victims across different legal frameworks in Europe, especially considering the diverse legal systems and criminological landscape?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): We take what works, whether from Finland or elsewhere, and make sure it reaches those who can implement it. We connect the dots between research, policy, and practice because better victim support and legal practice that is adapted to the needs of victims isn’t just an abstract goal. It’s something that needs to happen now, across all legal systems, so that no victim is left behind.
We are committed to producing materials that are not just research-driven but also accessible and practical for those working in the field. My dear colleague Julia Korkman, who currently serves as the president of the European Association of Psychology and Law, recently led an incredible effort to draft a common statement on how children should be heard in legal processes. This “white paper” developed by 34 top experts from across Europe and beyond, has already made a real impact, it’s being used in EU law enforcement training, at the International Criminal Court, and within the European Barnahus network. The 10 key recommendations in the paper provide clear, evidence-based guidance on how to ensure child victims are heard in a way that is both legally sound and truly child-sensitive.
Another example is the recent “From rights on paper to rights in action” report, which examines the practical implementation and challenges victims face in accessing justice. This research maps out state-based and non-state-based grievance mechanisms in Finland, Norway, and Sweden, offering concrete insights into how justice systems can be made more accessible for migrant workers who have faced labour exploitation.
When Finland proposed an amendment to its trafficking legislation to explicitly include forced marriage as a form of exploitation, HEUNI was asked to comment. We strongly supported the change, and the law came into force on January 1, 2025, strengthening protections for victims in real, tangible ways.
Our expertise is also sought after at the European level. My colleague Anniina Jokinen was commissioned by the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to develop a report on how local and regional authorities can combat human trafficking. The report, based on real-life examples from across Europe, provides concrete guidance on prevention, victim assistance, and coordination. It was approved in October 2024 and officially presented at the Congress Plenary Session in March 2025.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): As HEUNI works closely with the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, what role can the organisation play in advocating for more robust and universally applicable victim support policies at the EU and international levels?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): Our work is aligned with the UN’s focus on strengthening criminal justice systems globally, ensuring that victims receive the support and justice they deserve. HEUNI is actively participating in UN discussions through, for instance, side events and presentations at UNODC events and collaborating on and sharing UNODC materials on, for instance, hearing victims.
We also work closely with other research institutions involved in UN’s crime prevention work. Last year, we ran a webinar series with the Australian Institute for Criminology, “Down Under and Up North”, focusing on modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. The webinars highlighted best practices to address human trafficking that can be adopted across continents to strengthen more robust victim support mechanisms.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): What are the most pressing challenges in ensuring that EU legislation for victim support is fully implemented at the national level? How can HEUNI assist in overcoming these challenges?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): One of the most pressing challenges in ensuring the full implementation of EU legislation for victim support at the national level is the variation in how different Member States interpret and apply EU directives. While the EU sets out clear legislative frameworks, the way these laws are implemented often depends on the political will, resources, and existing legal infrastructure in each country. This leads to inconsistencies, with some countries failing to provide victims with the necessary services and support, even when the law requires it.
HEUNI can play a crucial role in overcoming these challenges by helping to identify gaps in implementation and offering evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
The current political climate raises concerns. In Finland, we have seen the dismantling of police units in Helsinki dedicated to combating “honour”-based violence, violence in intimate relations and youth involved in crime. Also, the current Finnish government’s recent austerity measures have led to significant funding cuts for NGOs providing victim support services. These measures tend to affect those who are the most vulnerable in society. We therefore need to continue to advocate for victims’ rights.
Marina Kazakova (VSE): How does HEUNI collaborate with organisations like Victim Support Europe, and what role do you see for HEUNI in the successful implementation of the “Year of Victims’ Rights” campaign?
Aleksandra Anikina (HEUNI): Together, we work on advocacy, policy development, and raising awareness, all while drawing on our collective expertise to push for more robust and accessible victim support. In terms of our role in the campaign, HEUNI’s expertise allows us to provide the data and research that underlie the importance of strengthening victim support. We aim to make sure that no victim is left behind, regardless of their nationality, type of crime, or location. Our work also focuses on making sure that victim support is not seen as a “nice-to-have” but as an essential part of criminal justice systems. I look forward to our continued collaboration and success in creating meaningful change for victims across Europe! Best wishes as we push for a future where every victim is truly supported.
