Before we get started, this article may have some content about sexual assault, as well as resources that are available to use for support, and ways to get involved. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, or are a friend/family member of a survivor and are in need of support of any kind, feel free to call the 24 hour Rape-Crisis Hotline at 413-545-0800.
Hello, Collegiettes! Since UMass is such a huge campus, you might not even realize how many resources we actually have here. One of the most important resources that we have on campus is the Center for Women and Community, located in the New Africa House. As some of you may know, the CWC provides a ton of resources for all different types of people, in the form of education, advocacy, support groups and more.
Photo from the Clothesline Project- an event hosted by the CWC
Last semester, I was lucky enough to be accepted to work as a volunteer for the Rape Crisis Hotline, as a Counselor Advocate. I wanted to join something here during my college career that would really help others, but still be something that I was good at and enjoyed. Listening and providing support are two things that I really think I’m good at, and I was eager to use my skills as a volunteer.
For a semester before I actually started on my job, I went to classes weekly to learn about all of the resources we had to offer here in Western Massachusetts, the in’s and out’s of advocates at hospitals, information on how processes work in the court, as well as how to do assessments for self harm and suicide. It might sound really intense (and don’t get me wrong, it really was), but we had our fair share of relaxing time too. Before we actually began with our agenda, we went around the room and got to hear about each person’s week, how they were feeling, and really get to connect on a much deeper level than I have with any of my other classmates before. I felt excited to go to class each week, because I knew that if I had a stressful day, everyone would be really supportive (and if I had something great happen, I could see how excited they were for me, too). All of us had different types of experience with working in this field- from having no experience to working in the field for years- and each person brought a ton of great knowledge and talents to work with. I learned how to really promote positivity for everyone’s strengths and how to use validation to help those who felt like they had weaknesses.
After our graduation, we finally had become Counselor Advocates. Using all of our training, we were prepared and trained to take four shifts each month- sometimes for the 24 hour Rape Crisis Hotline, and others as an on-call advocate to go to hospitals if a survivor went in. Even with all of the training, I was absolutely terrified. We are on call all night, so at first I didn’t sleep well, thinking that I might miss the call, or be too tired to give support. Even though I didn’t get my calls right away, that fear faded pretty fast. I started to get more comfortable with the fact that I was on-call.
I learned fast how different each call can be. Some people use the hotline as a source to vent or just to talk to someone who they know will listen. Others call because they need a certain resource, but aren’t sure what one. There are some times when friends and family members of survivors call, often to learn about support for themselves or for the survivor. Even though I have been on call for a few months now, I have not been on an advocacy yet. If a C.A. is to be called though, we go to the hospital that the survivor went to. We stay with them (as long as they want to have support from us) and answer their questions, validate that they are not at fault, and just be there to listen or help them in whatever way they need. In some cases, the survivor will opt to have a rape kit done, and in those cases, we will stay until the nurse comes, and provide support during (if the survivor wishes for us to stay in the room with them), as well as before and after.
Overall, I can’t even begin to talk about what this experience really has done for me. I feel like I’ve gained a whole group of people that I really enjoy going to see each week, and I know that I’ve been able to really work on how to listen and provide support with everyone that I talk to – both when I’m taking calls as well as in everyday life. I feel like I’ve been able to help more people than I ever would have thought in the time that they really needed to talk, and I hope that I can keep paying it forward to help more and more people everyday.
If you or anyone that you know is interested in becoming a Counselor Advocate, applications to volunteer are up now! You don’t have to have any former training working with trauma or sexual violence and don’t have to be a college student. This space is all inclusive as well, so every identity and body is welcome!
You can apply here.