Womanspace, Inc. is in search of community members who would be part of our next cohort to be trainees for the Response Teams of Mercer County.
The Womanspace Response Teams of Mercer County are comprised of highly trained and dedicated volunteers who meet with victim-survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence at the moment of crisis. Without the skill and dedication of these advocates, we would be unable to reach victim-survivors with the support and resources they critically need.
The role of the volunteer Response Team advocates is to provide compassionate support and tangible resources to victim-survivors at an extremely difficult time. In cases of domestic violence, advocates meet the victim at the police department. In cases of sexual assault, advocates meet the victim at the hospital. In both cases, advocates play a critical role as both an unconditional champion of the victim-survivor and as a source of information on available resources for future self-advocacy. Our goal is to empower victim-survivors so they can make informed decisions that are best for their lives and their families.
Domestic and sexual violence is a significant issue in Mercer County, as it is throughout the country. According to the 2020 NJ State Police Uniform Crime Report, there were 2020 domestic violence offenses reported by the police in Mercer County, which reflects a fraction of actual incidents as domestic violence and sexual assault often go unreported. Sexual assault will affect 1 in 6 women, and 1 in 33 men during their lifetimes.
“Supporting a survivor and watching them step into their empowerment is a divine gift. It is a privilege and an honor to sit with them and listen to their stories and provide them with resources that will guide them in their new life,” stated Anne, who has been one of the Advocates since 2019.
Applications are currently being accepted. The deadline to apply is August 15, 2023. Training begins on September 12, 2023.
More information is available at www.womanspace.org or by scanning the QR code below:
