NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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The East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) proudly welcomes Julia Manuel as the Victim Specialist at the Elliot Lake OPP detachment.
The OPP Victim-Centred Approach Team (VCAT) aims to implement the building blocks of the framework for an OPP Victim-Centred Approach by engaging with our members, our community partners, victim support organizations and other stakeholders to assist and understand the needs of victims/survivors in accordance with victims legislative rights and our obligations including the Canadian Victim Bill of Rights and Ontario Victim Bill of Rights.
The mission of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Victim Specialist Program is to ensure victims involved with investigations by the OPP have access to the rights and assistance to which they are entitled under the law.
The program facilitates effective communication and information, and sets clear expectations, ensuring victims/survivors are provided the appropriate assistance to understand and participate throughout the investigative process and criminal justice system.
Victim specialists have the distinct and unique responsibility to provide supports specific to the investigative process through the assistance and guidance of the investigating member.
Responsibilities focus on serving victims in the traumatic aftermath of victimization by providing essential information on their role in the criminal justice/investigative process, including a victim's rights to information, case status information, resource information and identification of their needs.
A Victim Needs Assessment (VNA) is an internal tool that has been developed for officers responding to calls for service, which empowers our people to assist and understand the needs of victims/survivors.
The VNA is not an offer of services, rather a mechanism to allow victims/survivors the opportunity to express their individual needs to front line officers.
The VNA provides an avenue for victims/survivors to tell OPP members, in their own words, whether they may require accommodations or additional supports.
By understanding needs surrounding communication/understanding, safety, and religious/cultural practices, the OPP can ensure proper resources and supports are available; this also ensures a victim-centred approach is established and observed throughout the investigative process.
If a victim/survivor indicates specific supports/accommodations are required, the VNA will trigger a referral to a Victim Specialist to provide further assistance throughout the investigative process.
This ensures the OPP are providing effective communication and information and are setting clear expectations.
The Victim Specialist Program, working in collaboration with our community partners, facilitates a holistic approach to meet short, medium and long term needs of victims/survivors.
Manuel began her career in Child Welfare where she worked as a Front-Line Child Protection worker for over 15 years.
She then went to work with the Ministry of Attorney General as a Victim Witness Services worker. It was during this time that she completed her Masters in Social Work.
After approximately six years, Manuel became the coordinator of the Family Violence Project of Waterloo Region. It consisted of 12 partner agencies, including police, CAS, crown attorney, victim services, and women's crisis, who all provided seamless, wrap-around services to victims of intimate partner violence from one location.
Manuel was in this position for over six years when she had the opportunity to become the Director of the Waterloo Region Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre, where she worked with a team of 12 forensic nurses, and 12 social workers.
Manuel was in this position for seven and half years before coming to the Victim Specialist Program in Elliot Lake.
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