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Legal assistance dogs can accompany victims. In France, the experiment was carried out for the first time at the Cahors court, with success. For three years, other cities have adopted these companions, which help adults and children alike to put their suffering into words.
Orphée is not a simple pet: it is a working dog, within an association of lawyers and social workers. She supports victims of rape, incest, domestic violence. As his schedule indicates, that day Orpheus has an appointment in the office of a psychologist, with a woman abused by her spouse. Barely installed, the young woman connects to the animal, then tells about her difficulties. During these often painful interviews, this legal aid dog reassures and calms her. “When she’s not there I lose my words, sometimes I even cry“, confides the young woman.
This benevolent presence accompanies the victims throughout the legal process, during police investigations and until the trial. Since his arrival in January, Orphée has supported around 40 people, children and adults. These dogs, trained for over two years by Handi ‘Chien, have been selected for their calm and empathy. At the moment, France has four dogs in four different courts. This mediation has a price: it takes 20,000 euros just for training, not supported by the Ministry of Justice.