PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month; and a room created in December 2023 is helping UW-Green Bay students feel more comfortable as they recount possibly the hardest day of their life.
Last year, the UW-Green Bay Police Department worked with Project Beloved to create a soft interview room on campus; located within the campus police department.
It’s purpose is to help alleviate the pain and fear that victims experience sharing their story, by providing a safe and comfortable space for victims to speak with an officer.
“We had a very standard interview room. Gray walls, a table, two chairs,” said UW police officer Kelly Jones, who brought the project to the campus. “If you’re a survivor or victim of a violent or intimate crime, that’s not the environment you feel comfortable in.”
Now, the room is painted with warmer, more inviting colors, there are three different chairs to let the interviewee sit where they feel most comfortable, and three different lighting fixtures that can be manipulated to a level that feels most comfortable for the interviewee. There’s also a diffuser with calming scents, and a small table where they can put their belongings.
The entire project was paid for by Project Beloved.
Project Beloved is a nation-wide program based out of Texas that works to educate, advocate and collaborate to change the conversation about sexual assault and empower survivors to find their voices. According to Project Beloved, research shows a trauma-informed victim-centered approach is considered a best practice when investigating sexual assault.
For more University and community resources, visit UW-Green Bay’s Sexual Assault and Personal Safety page, contact University Police at 920-465-2300, or contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).
Comments