6.5 PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE GROUPS Some individuals or groups of individuals may be especially sensitive; the interviewer should keep this in mind in order not to retraumatize or cause harm to the person interviewed:  Torture victims may express strong emotions during an interview. If the interviewee becomes overwhelmed with emotion, it may be appropriate to take a break from the interview. As the interview begins again, it may be suitable to bring the interview back to less upsetting topics;  Victims of sexual violence may be particularly reluctant or unable to talk about their experience because of the social stigma attached to it. The victim should be offered an interviewer and interpreter of the same sex. Experience shows that the most important element of a successful interview is to establish an atmosphere of trust and respect between the interviewer and the victim;  When interviewing children, it is necessary to adapt the procedure to the age, maturity, and understanding of the child. It may be necessary to adopt simpler language and to spend more time developing a rapport with a child who is to be interviewed. If a parent is available, parental permission should be obtained before interviewing a child, and, preferably, parents or legal guardians should be present during the interview. 65 6