George Mason provides soft interview room to support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence

The George Mason University Police Department recently installed a soft interview room on campus to support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. With support from Project Beloved: The Molly Jane Mission, a nonprofit organization, the soft interview room provides a critical component of trauma informed care to the campus community.

Unlike a typical police interview room, a soft interview room incorporates gentle lighting, comfortable furniture, and calming decor to help interviewees feel safe and at ease. 

“This room will allow us to better understand and recognize the signs of trauma and how that may show up in individuals,” said Chelsey Ellard, director of threat assessment and intelligence analysis with George Mason University Police. “Soft interview rooms really do make a difference for these types of investigations and can give officers a better opportunity to find justice.”

Trauma informed care is an approach used across a range of settings, including health care, social services, law enforcement, and education. The soft interview room will provide a more comfortable setting for interviewees to recall and share traumatic experiences. 

The George Mason Police Department was in the early stages of planning to implement a soft interview room when Ellard came upon the opportunity to collaborate with Project Beloved. Ellard learned about the nonprofit while attending training with the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Project Beloved partners with law enforcement agencies across the United States to install soft interview rooms. 

Ellard immediately reached out to Project Beloved. The project was approved and placed on a one-year waiting list. The organization designed and provided everything in the space at no cost to the university, and this June, the soft interview room on George Mason’s campus was completed. 

Small touches in the design of the space are meant to remind survivors of their worth. Each room includes a mirror next to a small canvas sign, which says "You Are Beloved." The message encourages survivors to remember those words as they look at their reflections. 

Project Beloved was founded by Tracy Matheson, a former Fairfax County Public Schools teacher, after her daughter, Molly Jane, was a victim of sexual assault and homicide at age 22. The mission of Project Beloved is to educate, advocate, and collaborate to change the conversation about sexual assault and empower survivors to find their voices. 

The new soft interview room at George Mason will help the campus police do that. 

”Officers stay connected with victims throughout the investigation and court process,” said Ellard. “The soft interview room will allow officers and victims to immediately develop that bond and allow victims to feel empowered to find their voice.”

Project Beloved has also installed a soft interview room at Virginia Military Institute—the only other institution of higher education to offer one in Virginia—and at 10 law enforcement agencies throughout the commonwealth. 

Overall, George Mason University is the 134th room to be installed by the organization.