FARMINGTON – Janine Winn is looking forward to having an office of her own.

When Winn, executive director of Franklin County’s Sexual Assault Victims Emergency Services, and her five co-workers move across town and into their new digs at 140 Pleasant St., next Monday, it will be the first time her office is just that.

Not the break room. Not the conference room. Not a shared office space. Not the hallway to the bathroom.

Just her office. For her stuff.

SAVES workers, like Winn, will each have their own office, as well as a communal bathroom, closet space, conference room, break room and interview room. They’re all part of the sunlit 1,200-square-foot office space they will be renting from landlord Buzz Davis for the next five years.

Next to T & T Travel, the new space is a far cry from where they have been – on the second floor at 186 Main St. since the summer of 2002.

They landed there in a pinch. And while they appreciated the interim space, it’s too small for the staff and isn’t handicap accessible. That means some clients and even SAVES volunteers can’t make it into the place.

The new office once housed a liquor store. Since SAVES staffers have been there, at least one person a week has come in looking to buy booze. They expect that to continue even when they’ve moved in and put lettering up on the front window.

It will be one of the lighter sides of the job, which is to provide counseling to victims of sexual assaults in Franklin County. They also offer outreach programs in county high schools and help victims work with police to prosecute offenders, if desired.

Winn designed the new work space. She feels the big perks are the handicap accessibility, each staff member gets his or her own space, and the intimate interview room.

When SAVES workers or police now need to interview a victim, it is done either at the victim’s home or at the police station. That’s often not comfortable or private for the victim, Winn says. With the new office, they’ll be able to interview victims in a more client friendly atmosphere.

The new location will also give the organization more visibility. While talk of sexual assault is often pushed aside, Winn says the Pleasant Street offices will put the issue up front and center.

“I think this office will better represent who we are in terms of the work we do,” she said. “It’s legitimate to talk about these issues and this office projects that.”

An open house is expected in March.

SAVES is looking for area rugs, a love seat, couches and lamps to furnish the new office space. To make a donation, contact Winn at 778-9522.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

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