It’s not just Odie: What Does Victim Services Do?

To wrap up National Victims & Survivors of Crime Week, the Bonnyville Victim Services is hosting a BBQ today at the RCMP Detachment. The event is free to the public, with donations being accepted for Victim Services.

“Bonnyville Victim Services supports victims of crime and trauma,” explains Program Director, Candina Wosminity. Typically, Victim Services will receive a referral from the RCMP, but also takes walk-ins or self-referrals. “We meet with the victim, or call the victim, we provide immediate crisis intervention. Sometimes we have face-to-face conversations in the office, or in a safe place in the community.”

Victim Services also assists with the court and trial process of crime, “we’ll keep them updates for what’s happening with the accused. If someone’s been charged and there are court appearances, we’ll keep them up-to-date on what’s happening. In the event that there’s going to be a not guilty plea and there’s going to be a trial, we’ll do court preparation and we’ll go to court with them.”

“We provide three very important programs that we deliver through our office,” Wosminity explains there’s a lot more to Victim Services than what the public perception may be, “One is a Victim Impact Statement, another is the Financial Package, and the third is How to Request Restitution from the Offender.”

The Bonnyville Victim Services also has a unique member of their staff on hand, Odie. The special canine supports victims in court by sitting with children under 12 on the witness stand. He can also sit and comfort people in the private witness room at the court room. “He does a lot of support for people who come to our office for assistance. If you can imagine when children come to do the police interview, the police will call on [Odie] to sit in on the interview. It really calms the child.”

Victim Services assistance goes beyond people who have been impacted by crime. They also support trauma victims, Wosminity explains, “if you think of suicide or a car fatality; any sudden death. Normally, the police will call on us to accompany us for the notification of kin. So, when they are notifying loved ones that someone in their family has died, they bring us along to help with that immediate support.”

“Any type of crime you can think of; from theft, fraud, violence, sexual assault, anything you can think of might land on our desk.” The BBQ is 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment. If you are in need of Victim Services you can stop in at the Detachment or call 780-343-7255. Victim Services is online, bonnyvillevictimservices.com. The organization is always looking for volunteers, to help visit the online site.