The canton of Neuchâtel opened a new violence medicine center (CNMV) on Monday on the Pourtalès site of the Neuchâtel hospital network (RHNe). This new structure offers a free consultation to victims aged 16 and over and improves medico-legal care.
“During violence, it is often difficult for victims to provide the necessary evidence. The center will allow significant progress,” declared Florence Nater, State Councilor in charge of social cohesion.
The CNMV, which has established a partnership with three forensic doctors from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bern, will include four specialized forensic nurses as well as a secretariat. It will provide “welcome, attentive listening, a clinical examination and guidance towards medico-psycho-social support”, explained Sabine Illide-Boulogne, head of the woman-mother-child department of RHNe.
The center will “better correspond to certain victims, not currently supported,” said Simon Baechler, head of the Neuchâtel judicial police. The police will invite victims to go to the CNMV. The support will be “consistent” and will allow victims – who are afraid of going to the police – to report themselves.
The victim will manage their procedure and will decide whether or not they want to use their medico-legal report in a complaint. However, in the event of serious crimes or offenses against bodily or sexual integrity, health professionals have the possibility of informing the criminal prosecution authorities.
Fundamental for justice
“The medico-legal report remains fundamental for justice because often a medical certificate is not usable,” added Marc Rémy, prosecutor. Thanks to this new center, emergency personnel will no longer need to make this observation and will invite victims to contact the CNMV for a consultation.
This project involves the Neuchâtel police, the judicial authorities including the Public Prosecutor’s Office, several cantonal departments as well as the Neuchâtel Hospital Network (RHNe). Its cost of 400,000 francs per year is co-financed by all the partners.
Such a center has existed for many years in the canton of Vaud at the CHUV. According to a latest Vaud study, 81% of patients used the medico-legal report as a means of proof, explained Florence Nater. Several other French-speaking cantons, including Valais and Geneva, have established or are about to open such a center. Discussions are also taking place, notably in Fribourg.
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