WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP | A child advocacy center where young victims or witnesses of abuse can be interviewed in a neutral, comfortable location could begin its work within six weeks.

New Sights Child Advocacy Center is a collaboration of Prevent Child Abuse Porter County, the county, law enforcement and other agencies, PCAPC President Cheryl Polarek said.

A child reporting abuse or neglect is often interviewed multiple times -- by a school, police, protection services and other agencies, Polarek said. The goal of the new center is to consolidate those interviews into one, in a child-friendly setting. A trained interviewer will talk with the child while representatives of other agencies listen from a different room. Listeners can pass questions to the interviewer through the person's ear bud.

Research on such centers shows they have two important benefits, Polarek said. They subject children to less trauma because frightening and stressful interviews are not repeated. And they boost conviction rates of abusers. The sessions are videotaped and can be used in court, allowing judges or jurors to see the demeanor and hear the words of the child.

The single interview also eliminates conflicting statements a child might make, Polarek said.

PCAPC, which is funded by private donations, paid for law enforcement and state Division of Family and Children workers to become trained in the Finding Words interview program. There are now 15 people in the county trained to conduct the interviews, Polarek said.

Video equipment is being installed at the center, which is in a farmhouse owned by the county on the grounds of the Porter County Expo Center.

PCAPC will hold a fundraising spring carnival ball April 5 at Old Town Banquet Center. For more information, visit www.pcapc.org or call (219) 531-9012.