Perth County OPP have unveiled their new victim interview room in North Perth.
This has been done to help reduce stigma and barriers for victims to come forward and report incidents to police.
The new interview room was done in collaboration with OPP, Victim Services Huron and Perth, the Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society, Optimism Place and the Municipality of North Perth to create the welcoming, family-friendly space.
Tara Bolstad, Detective Sergeant for Perth County OPP says this space is a massive boost from their other interview room.
“Our interview rooms are kind of the old school, what they would call a ‘hard interview room’ so cold furniture, stiff furniture you can’t really move, the colours are really cold and you want people to come forward and tell you their most intimate details it doesn’t really encourage that sort of dialogue” said Bolstad.
Bolstad adds OPP continue to encourage victims to come forward with the interview room acting as a comfortable space located outside the police station.
“We’re here to listen to their stories. I know it can be very intimidating to talk to a police officer, you’re sharing some of the most intimate details and there’s many reasons people don’t report and we’re hoping through this space and having it more open and accessible it can encourage more people to come forward.”
The funding for the space came from the Victim Support Grant from the Ontario government.
