Facility Opens In Philadelphia To Help Sex Crime Victims Cope
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - City officials are hailing the opening of what's called the "Philadelphia Safety Collaborative," aimed at consolidating response to a particularly heinous type of crime.
The new facility in Hunting Park combines agencies that deal with the aftermath of sex crimes.
"The Department of Human Services, the Special Victims Unit, PCA and the District Attorney all on one site," Mayor Nutter says.
Christine Kirchner, executive director of the Philadelphia Children's Alliance (PCA), says this is to lesson post-crime impact...especially on kids:
"We coordinate our investigations. We do one interview of the child, with everyone participating. We provide support services to the non-offending caregiver. We link the child up with mental health and medical therapy on site. It just really improves the efficiencies and communication among all agencies on what are very complicated cases."
The facility has been open a couple of weeks and Kirchner says in one case, someone victimized on a Tuesday was interviewed immediately and began getting counseling by Friday.
