7th iIIRG Annual Conference 2014

1. 7th iIIRG Annual Conference 2014 Cultural adaptation of forensic investigations: preliminary results from investigative interviews with Israeli Arab children HaninMordi, Carmit Katz and Riki Savaya Tel Aviv University, Israel

2. Background • Although practitioners worldwide contend with cultural diversities, little research effort has been focused on forensic interviews that are cultural adapted • In Israel, cultural diversity is evident as well. The Israeli Arab group presents a unique challenge for child forensic interviewers (20% of the population).

3. The study aim The aim of the current study is to explore cultural issues through interviewing Israeli Arab children that are alleged victims of sexual abuse. Thematic analysis was carried in order to identify both possible challenges for interviewers and special considerations for the children

4. Israeli Arab children: multiple risk Israeli Arab children who are alleged victims of abuse are characterized in multilayer risk factors: • Being alleged victim of abuse • Being part of a group that is culturaly different from the majority of the Israeli society • Being part of a group that its religion is different from the majority of the Israeli society • Being part of a group that contends with continuous high conflict with the Israeli society and government

5. Israeli Arab children: The cultural layer

6. Israeli Arab children: The political layer

7. The sample 15 forensic investigations with Israeli-Arab children The following inclusion criterions: • The children are part of the Israeli-Arab group • Alleged victims of sexual abuse • External evidence exist (e.g., suspect admission, eyewitness testimony, medical evidence)

8. The sample

9. Procedure • All the investigative interviews were conducted by 3 well-trained investigative interviewers (members of the Israeli-Arab group) • The NICHD Protocol

10. Thematic Analysis This study employed Thematic Analysis; a qualitative analysis technique which was applied to all fifteen investigative interviews (Chase, 2005; Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). Thematic Analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns (themes) within data.

11. Findings

12. Findings: Disclosure Children in the Israeli-Arab society are raised with the notion that they should not seek for help, and if there is a problem that needs solution it is up to the adults in their life. This aspect was evident in the children`s narratives as most of the children did not disclose the story out of their own will, or did not seek for an help, as one of the girls said: “I am not stupid to say this and to put shame on myself and my family”

13. Findings: Mistrust The children`s mistrust in the government and formal authorities is evident in their narratives: They are willing to cooperate with the forensic investigation as long as their story wont be transferred to other formal organizations: “ who will see this?....will you show it to someone?...”

14. Findings: Shame The discussion of sexual content with children is a taboo in the Israeli-Arab group and this aspect is evident in the children`s narratives in the following ways: - children`s are not mentioning the names of intimate body parts, instead, when they are being asked by the forensic interviewer, they might answer: “the shame place”.

15. Findings: Shame Even children in the age of 13, cannot elaborate on sexual content: “my father wiped the milk” “he did to me something dirty” “he did to me something forbidden”

16. Findings: Adult in the center The Arabic culture addresses, many times, the child as someone with no feelings and needs until he arrive to adolescence. The child is required to understand the adults needs (Abu-Bakar, 2007) and to prefer their needs over his (Budman, Lipson, & Meleis, 1992) The children`s perception and experience that the adult is the center and above them is clear and evident in their narratives and in their behavior during the forensic investigation

17. Findings: Adult in the center • The child position as responsible for the adult indulgent: In the pre-substantive part of the interviews when the children were asked by the forensic interviewers: “ tell me about the things that you like to do” The children answers were in the same pattern: “I love to help my mother and father…I love to listen to my teacher…I love to clean the class…I love to help my family”

18. Findings: Adult in the center • The child perceptions of relationship with adults as reflects in the relations with the forensic interviewers: • When the forensic interviewer, who is an Israeli-Arab as well, failed to understand some of the child`s words the child changed his idiom in order to help the forensic interviewer • The child referring to the forensic interviewers in words indicating on respect: “my uncle/ my teacher”

19. Findings: Adult in the center • The child perceptions of relationship with adults as reflects in the relations with the forensic interviewers: Interviewer: “tell me about the first time with your brother” Child: “I cannot remember” Interviewer: “but I need your help with this” Child: “ok, I will do my best”

20. Findings: Adult in the center In the communication rules phase the interviewer refers to the child: “if I will say that you are a girl, what will you say?” The child: “I will say god will forgive you” Or in the substantive phase when the child wants the interviewer to take him seriously he feels that he needs to swear: “I swear to you in god...in the profit…”

21. Findings: Adult in the center Interviewer: will you like to tell the judge what happened to you? Child: “this is not my decision to make” Interviewer: “so whose decision is that?” Child: “my parents”

22. Conclusions • The current study sheds light on the need to adapt existing practical guidelines on conducting forensic interviews with children from non-Western cultural backgrounds. • The legal system also needs to adapt its decision making process in order to adapt its expectations from children`s testimonies