Detective Sergeant Stéphanie Morin left a lasting mark on the history of Marie-Vincent through her unwavering commitment and remarkable initiative. Her work embodies the heart of our “all under one roof” model, in collaboration with our partners. From 2005 to 2009, she was actively involved with the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair in Child Sexual Abuse working closely with researcher Mireille Cyr on a study of the NICHD non-suggestive interview protocol — a method still in use today at Marie-Vincent and regularly taught by our team. At the time, the protocol was a major innovation, since it yielded 30% more answers… from 30% fewer questions. In 2009, she became the sole investigator assigned full-time to conduct police investigative interviews on our premises. She ensured exemplary collaboration with other partners (Marie-Vincent clinicians, Youth Protection, etc.), which directly benefited young victims, both in the justice process and in their therapeutic follow-up.
The goal of a police investigative interview is to obtain the most accurate and complete account possible of the events disclosed by the child or adolescent. The interview recording is conducted in a safe and welcoming space, using a non-suggestive approach. This video testimony can serve as legal evidence while preventing the child from having to retell their story multiple times.
Over the course of five years, Stéphanie Morin conducted no less than 800 interviews, becoming a true pillar of this critical phase in the intervention process. She ensured each interview took place under the best possible conditions. She also played a key role in reimagining the lighting, furniture, and technical equipment of our interview rooms to improve their comfort, creating spaces that are more soothing for young people and more effective for case workers. Deeply committed to the well-being of all children supported at Marie-Vincent, she also advocated for expanding services to teenagers aged 13 to 17.
