Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
MURRAY – People who've survived horrific crimes are sometimes interviewed in the same type of rooms police would use to interview their perpetrator. Murray police now have more inviting spaces for victims and survivors to speak with investigators.
Inside one of the department's new soft interview rooms there are big windows, comfy chairs and blankets; for little ones, there's plenty of stuffed animals and coloring supplies.
"Already, I've seen a difference with this room," said longtime victim advocate Alissa Black. "People seem to melt and be more relaxed, kind of take a deep breath."
Black has been doing victim advocate work for more than 20 years. That's how she knows the department's new soft interview rooms are helping survivors of abuse and violence feel more comfortable talking to police.
"We know that there's barriers to them coming forward and most don't ever come to a police department, and that's one of the things that we wanted to try and fix," she said.
That fix is found in all the small details in the room, like stress balls and calming scents. Next to it is a room for children with books, toys and a TV with kids' channels.
"There are a lot of parents that didn't plan to come in and so they are coming in with their children and don't have childcare, so it helps alleviate a lot of stress to have them be nearby," Black explained.
A large, tinted window between the rooms is made of soundproof glass, keeping kids within sight, but out of earshot.
"Sometimes the worst day of their life is what they're having to explain and it's better to do that where kids don't have to hear," said Black.
The rooms were provided through a donation from Project Beloved, a Texas-based nonprofit founded in honor of Molly Jane Matheson, who was raped and murdered in 2017. Another victim of the same perpetrator, Megan Getrum, loved photography. It's her artwork that's now hanging on the walls.
"They shipped everything to us along with the design and we put it all together and we're super grateful and excited about the way it looks," Black said.
Doing better for survivors takes a village, she said, and the department is grateful to also have local donors who continue to provide blankets, stuffed animals and other items to help bring a little bit of comfort to people experiencing a difficult time.
"We wanted to have our own space that's comfortable for them to be able to speak with us, feeling like they're in somebody's house and in somebody's living room," said Black, "versus feeling like they're in a cold interview room in a police department and that they're in some sort of trouble."
She said the concept of soft rooms for survivor interviews is somewhat new, but in line with a growing movement in police work toward trauma-informed investigations.
"A long time ago, I went to a conference and the theme of that conference was, 'Justice isn't served until victims are' and they're the most important component in this puzzle," Black said. "And if we aren't being mindful of that, then the whole system is a failure."
