Kansas

Room to help sexual assault survivors unveiled at Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department

Published

6 days ago

June 21, 2024

Room to help sexual assault survivors unveiled at Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new room at the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department will be used to interview survivors of sexual assault and trauma.

The ‘soft room’ is the first of its kind in Missouri.

Rachel Henderson/KSHB 41

The first soft room located at KCPD’s headquarters.

An organization called Project Beloved has set up over 100 soft rooms nationwide. The most recent room put into service isi n Kansas City.

“I’m really excited for Kansas City to have this room, and to set that precedent in this area for their approach to sexual assault,” said Becky Halterman, Project Beloved vice president.

Halterman has personal ties to Project Beloved’s cause.

“Project Beloved was started April 10, 2018, a year to the day after my niece, Molly Jane Matheson was found raped and murdered,” Halterman. Her sister, Tracy Mathesan, is the founder and Molly’s mother.

project beloved mission.jpg — A picture hanging in the soft room honors Molly Jane Matheson and another survivor, Megan Getrum, whose artwork is on the walls.

The organization seeks to educate the public and advocate for sexual assault survivors so they’re empowered to find their voices through the support they’re given.

“There’s a lot more progress that needs to be made, starting from a place of believing,” Halterman said. “Let’s invite them into this room, have them tell their story, investigate it, and find out what we can do.”

Zachary Mallory understands just how much progress is necessary.

“I was sexually assaulted at 17,” Mallory said. “I know what it felt like to be not believed. I know what it felt like to be unheard and to be re-victimized.”

A decade later, Mallory’s found love and safe spaces in his partner, his dog and community involvement. But that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten what he went through, particularly in interview rooms.

“Sitting in that room and just listening to them ask me questions, I’m like, ‘Why am I here?’” he said. “Sitting in fluorescent lights is not going to be a good situation, it’s going to make me more frustrated, it’s going to make me very uncomfortable, and I’m going to be very agitated.”

Tye Grant is President and CEO of the Police Foundation of Kansas City.

As a former high-ranking member of the police department, he recalls how straightforward interview rooms were during his time.

old interview room.jpg — An interview room used before the ‘soft room’ rennovation.

“An interview room is built just to do that – interview somebody,” Grant said. “It’s a table and chair, not really a lot a thought about providing anything beyond a location to conduct an interview.”

The Police Foundation supports projects intended improve the police department. It funded KCPD’s first soft room, and Grant says there’s already talk of a second room.

“This is innovative today,” Grant said. “We should have done this a long time ago. So when they brought us this concept, our response was, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it.’”

The police department works over 500 sexual assault cases a year.

Though the room was just unveiled Thursday, it’s a space hundreds of survivors will now be able to use.

“Imagine if you were a victim of something, and you’re having to come and tell law enforcement about the worst day of your life, and you step into this space, it’s not what you’re expecting,” Halterman said. “You are able to sit in a space that’s safe, warm and inviting as opposed to cold, stark and sterile and talk to law enforcement, who also are in a different frame of mind. They’re also not interrogating someone, they’re not in that same space that maybe they were two hours ago interrogating a really violent offender.”

The space includes new furniture, lamps, rugs, paint, artwork, plants, blankets and dim lighting.

“This is a part of accountability and a part of bringing the community back together,” Mallory said. “I think that this is also going to save lives.”

As someone who’s attempted to take their own life, Mallory says the mental health support for survivors goes far beyond the soft room.

“I think going further is bringing more mental health support into the interviewing process,” Mallory said. “There’s a lot of work that can happen, and include people who have that experience to advise on what the next steps can be. I’m more than willing to be that resource if they want to reach directly out.”

A resource Mallory says was crucial when he was seeking help was the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, or MOSCA.

“I finally found that passion within me that I didn’t know that I had,” Mallory said. “I started speaking out, speaking up every time I see something, I say something.”

Mallory also says it’s important to remember how common sexual assault can be.

“Sexual assault doesn’t just happen to women, doesn’t just happen to men, it happens to trans people, nonbinary people,” Mallory said. “It happens to everybody. It doesn’t discriminate.”

So along with advocates like Halterman, Mallory will keep the conversation going so that safe spaces can grow and spread.

“Being able to be that vocal voice and be that leader that the community needs, I’m happy to be here,” Mallory said.

If you or anyone you know has been impacted by sexual violence and needs support, please call MOCSA’s 24-hour crisis line at 816-531-0233.

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Related Topics:calm Featured interrogation Interview Kansas City Kansas City News kcpd MOSCA safe space Sexual assault soft room

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Kansas

Can you guess the most Instagrammable site in Topeka? One company identified 10 in Kansas.

Published

3 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Press Room

Can you guess the most Instagrammable site in Topeka? One company identified 10 in Kansas.

Strike a pose and snap a photo at Topeka’s most Instagrammable location.

An organization recently named the Topeka Zoo the eighth most Instagrammable place in Kansas.

Top 10 most Instagrammable places in Kansas

Bonus Finder, a media company based in Denmark, checked the social media hashtags of more than 2,700 landmarks across the United States.

These were found to be the most popular Kansas sites, according to the hashtags.

No. 1: Flint Hills has the most popular Kansas hashtag with 75,888 posts.
No. 2: Kansas Speedway has 22,275 posts under its hashtag.
No. 3: Allen Fieldhouse has 13,353 hash tagged posts.
No. 4: The Sedgwick County Zoo hashtag has 13,327 posts.
No. 5: Grinter Sunflower Farms has 10,795 hashtagged posts.
No. 6: INTRUST Bank Arena has 7,323 posts.
No. 7: Monuments Rocks Natural Landmark has 7,111 posts hashtagged.
No. 8: Topeka Zoo had 5,865 hashtagged posts.
No. 9: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve has 5,116 hashtagged posts.
No. 10: The Wichita Gardens have 3,371 posts hashtagged.

Topeka Zoo employees and other reaction to the ranking

The Topeka Zoo has nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram. The zoo also has a TikTok account with more than 35,000 followers and 1.3 million likes. On Facebook, the zoo has more than 55,000 followers and more than 44,000 likes.

“That’s very exciting,” guest engagement supervisor Brea Schmidt said. “I’m very happy to hear that. We definitely work hard every day to make sure we are sharing what we think guests want to see. So, to hear we were found eighth most Instagrammable is pretty exciting.”

Jen Goetz, creative and strategy director for the zoo, said the magic is in finding balance between what people want to see and following the zoo’s mission of conservation and education.

When asked what other Topeka sites they would have liked to see on the list, Schmidt and Goetz gave a shout-out to their neighbor, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center.

“I’m not surprised our incredible, growing Topeka Zoo made the list! From special displays like Zoo Lights to the furry faces that greet you, the Topeka Zoo is a must-visit attraction here,” president of Visit Topeka Sean Dixon said in a written statement. “The zoo is located in our beautiful Gage Park, which is where you’ll find more photogenic fun like the carousel and mini train.”

Here are some more Instagrammable sites in Topeka

Dixon said while the list didn’t include them, there are plenty of Instagrammable places across the city.

“And there are several other Instagrammable spots across Topeka that would have made our list,” Dixon said. “Don’t miss the rainbow-painted Equality House, the stunning Kansas Capitol, NOTO and its many murals, the Governor’s Mansion trails, and more.

“There is no shortage of photo ops when you know where to look.”

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Kansas

Kansas City Chiefs join forces with Hallmark for Christmas rom-com ‘Holiday Touchdown’

Published

11 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Press Room

Kansas City Chiefs join forces with Hallmark for Christmas rom-com ‘Holiday Touchdown’

The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing together what the holidays are all about: football and Hallmark movies.

The NFL team has partnered with Hallmark to create an original holiday film centered around its back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

The movie, called “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” will begin production next month, filming entirely in Kansas City, Missouri. Fans will watch scenes at the GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the first time a movie has been shot in the venue.

“This partnership unites two passionate fanbases and gives us an opportunity to show Chiefs Kingdom’s energy and tradition on one of the most-watched channels during the holiday season,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in a news release.

To honor the project between the two Kansas City-based organizations, the city lit up its downtown skyline purple and red on Wednesday night, the news release shared.

Who will be in ‘Holiday Touchdown’?

While no Chiefs players have been announced to be in the movie, the team revealed its three leads.

The film will star “Shifting Gears” actor Tyler Hynes, “Two Scoops Of Italy” actor Hunter King, and “Better Call Saul” actor Ed Begley Jr. in the sports holiday romantic comedy.

What is ‘Holiday Touchdown’ about?

“Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” will follow Chiefs super fan Alana Higman (King), who’s determined to win the team’s Fan of the Year contest, and fan engagement director Derrick (Hynes). The two begin to feel romantic tension as Derrick evaluates whether Alana’s family deserves to the win the contest.

But when Alana’s grandfather (Begley Jr.) loses his vintage Chiefs winter hat, she begins to question her future with Derrick unless “a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary.”

50% of Hallmark viewers watch sports during the holidays

While the collaboration may seem odd, the Chiefs and Hallmark are assured that the movie makes the perfect holiday crossover.

More than half of Hallmark Channel viewers also watched sports during the channel’s Countdown to Christmas aired last year in 2023, according to the news release.

“With Hallmark and the Kansas City Chiefs both homegrown, rooted in values, tradition and community, there is a special alchemy between these two iconic organizations,” Hallmark Chief Brand Officer Darren Abbott said in a statement. “By blending the warmth of Hallmark storytelling with the excitement of professional football, we are thrilled to give audiences a front-row seat to this community’s spirit, rich traditions and passionate fans.”

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Kansas

Kansas courts to change domains in effort to be more transparent

Published

18 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

Kansas courts to change domains in effort to be more transparent

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – In an effort to be more transparent, the Kansas court system is changing its domain from .org to .gov this summer.

On July 1, the domain will change to .gov on the judicial branch website, the online attorney registration portal, and an online attorney directory.

Email addresses for the court system’s 290 justices and judges and roughly 1,700 employees will also change in late July.

Chief Justice Marla Luckert said changing things from .org to .gov will clearly communicate to anyone who uses the services they are communicating with a government entity.

“We researched the benefits of making this change last summer, but we were working on other time-sensitive projects at that time,” Luckert said. “The Legislature’s action this spring to make it a requirement emphasized that now is the best time to make this change.”

The Kansas Judicial Branch said moving to a .gov domain also requires them to follow certain rules which contribute to a more secure environment for all government.

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