Yes, and here’s how it typically works:
- You can submit a written statement or be heard during the oral trial phase.
- The judge may allow you to read your statement in court or your lawyer may submit it as part of the documentation for the case.
- Your statement is considered during sentencing and can influence the judge’s perception of the seriousness of the offense and its impact.
✅ Can You Include Harassment from Other Family Members?
Absolutely. If their harassment is connected to the original offense (e.g., trying to silence you, discredit you, or continue the abuse by proxy), you should include it. You can also mention:
- Patterns of harassment (in-person, digital, or through others).
- Secondary victimization from other individuals trying to intimidate, manipulate, or cause distress.
- Any emotional, psychological, social, or physical impact of that harassment.
📨 What About Insulting Emails and Texts?
Yes, those can be included if they have:
- Contributed to your psychological distress.
- Been used to intimidate, control, stalk, or harass you.
- Affected your sense of safety, reputation, or emotional well-being.
You may want to submit these messages as supporting evidence, ideally translated into Spanish and organized chronologically.
💬 What to Include in a Spanish Victim Impact Statement
Here’s what you can include (and it can be written in first person):
- Emotional impact
– How the abuse, stalking, threats, or harassment made you feel.
– Ongoing trauma, flashbacks, anxiety, depression. - Physical impact
– Health problems, insomnia, physical symptoms (e.g., shaking, panic attacks). - Psychological toll
– Fear, shame, loss of trust in others, impact on mental health. - Daily life impact
– Social withdrawal, isolation, difficulty working or parenting, legal costs. - Secondary abuse
– How others (family members, enablers) have worsened the situation. - Evidence-backed examples
– Brief reference to messages, letters, calls, or actions that illustrate your claims.
🛡 Tip: Trauma-Informed, Not Retaliatory
Use clear, calm, factual language. Express your experience without attacking the perpetrator or family members directly—let their actions speak through the evidence and your emotional response. Spanish courts respect composure and clarity.
Would You Like Help Writing One?
I can help you draft a trauma-informed victim impact statement that includes:
- Emotional and psychological effects
- Harassment by other individuals
- Reference to emails and texts
- Anchored in Spanish legal expectations
