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.