The caregivers of the Saint-Lô memorial hospital center have a new, rather special colleague. He is neither a doctor nor a nurse, but a dog! Ravel, a black Labrador two years old, arrived at the medico-judicial unit (UMJ) in January and helps child victims of violence to confide, during hearings with gendarmes and police.
A specially trained dog for six months
Ravel is far from being a dog like the others. the third forensic assistance dog in France does not bark and has been specially trained for this mission for six months. “He is very calm, really sweet, perfectly in the role that we ask him, that is to say to be soothing for the children”describes Emilie Morançais, one of the two psychologists of the UMJ service and host of the dog.
We really have the feeling that he supports the child during the hearing – Emilie Morançais, psychologist at the UMJ in Saint-Lô
Essential qualities that the Labrador uses at each audition. “When the child is in difficulty, Ravel will sigh or stick more strongly against the child. We really have this feeling that he is supporting the child during the hearing”remarks the psychologist.
With Ravel, children are more able to confide
The children auditioned, whether they are 3 or 18 years old, are very often in the context of legal proceedings on sexual violence. Ravel then allows them to confide more easily. “As soon as we introduce the dog, we see directly that the child relaxes and that he is more confident. It is easier to approach these painful things”notes Chief Emilie Cabon, a policeman attached to the Avranches family protection group and trained in violence against minors.
The presence of the dog even allows a freedom of speech. “One day, the hearing was very laborious and complicated for a little girl. The investigator did everything to put her at ease, and at one point, the dog sighed, took a deep breath, and she told everything. Without the dog, she would not have spoken”remembers Emilie Morançais.
Ravel really helps in the reconstruction of child victims – Béatrice Auvray, psychologist at the UMJ in Saint-Lô
Ravel thus attended a sixty auditions since his arrival and leaves good memories to the children. “Some people come out saying “it was too good!”, whereas, well, they still come to deliver extremely difficult information”testifies Béatrice Auvray, the second psychologist of the unit.
– Chloe Martin
“They remember the positive memory of the dog, rather than the memory of the policeman. This moment is often the first stage of the procedure, and therefore of the repair. That’s why we try not to be traumatic. , not to add trauma to trauma. Ravel really helps in this reconstruction”analyzes the psychologist.
To make Ravel’s presence permanent, a agreement has been signed this Friday, May 13 between the Saint-Lô hospital center, the justice, gendarmerie and police services of the Manche department, and the Handi’Chiens and La Voix de l’enfant associations.