What is an advocate?
An advocate is a person who has been trained to respond to domestic violence and sexual assault. An advocate’s primary concern is assisting a victim and her children to develop a plan for immediate and long term safety.
An advocate’s job is to:
- Listen to an individual and problem solve with them rather than for them.
- Assist an individual in identifying abusive patterns and behaviors within their intimate relationship.
- Offer victims information about their rights and discuss legal or non-legal options.
- Assist in developing a safety plan that is tailored to fit the needs of the individual.
- Honor the decisions individuals make in regard to their immediate and long term safety.
- Offer individual and group support as well as community resource information and referrals.
You can call the HAVEN Crisis Line 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.