Everyday Advocacy: No Title Required

You don’t need a title to be an advocate. You don’t need a desk at a shelter, a caseload of clients, or a courtroom badge to change lives. Yet, somewhere along the way, we’ve let the idea take root that real advocacy only happens face-to-face with survivors.

A while back, I had a conversation with a woman who works in administration at a state coalition. She told me she often felt like her work didn’t really “count” as advocacy because she wasn’t working directly with survivors.  When I’ve spoken with others who work in domestic and sexual violence victim advocacy, I’ve sadly found they often feel the same way. Many believe that, to truly be an advocate, you must work in direct services. They believe you must be a counselor, case manager, court advocate, or executive director at a direct services agency to officially be an advocate.  

Truth is, advocacy is so much bigger than direct services. There are many ways to advocate that have absolutely nothing to do with working directly with survivors or even working in an agency. People advocate in many different ways, and advocates play many different roles in assisting survivors on their healing journey.  

What is an advocate? 

At its core, an advocate is someone who supports a cause with both heart and conviction, and who speaks up on behalf of those who need a voice. Essentially, advocates are people who speak up for and support others.  Therefore, anyone who works to improve the lives of those who have survived domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and stalking is indeed an advocate 

Direct client services work is often what first comes to mind when we think of supporting survivors. It is the face, the popular representation we see of advocates. Movies frequently portray a woman talking to a counselor or in a support group, in tears, recounting harrowing details of abuse. She and her children are living in a shelter and working with a case manager who helps her apply for an apartment, jobs, and government assistance. She is later seen in a courtroom with her court advocate sitting next to her, offering words of encouragement, as she faces her hostile abuser and the daunting legal system.  

These are excellent examples of advocates at work, and they’re only the beginning. There are many more advocacy opportunities in direct services, including: 

• Hotline responders who answer calls from victims at 3 p.m. or 3 a.m.
• Victim-witness advocates who guide survivors through the complexities of the legal system.
• Housing advocates who help survivors secure a safe new place to live.
• Shelter staff who ensure the space is safe and comfortable while victims transition to a new home.  
  

Behind the Scenes Advocacy 

Advocacy doesn’t stop here! It also happens behind the scenes. There are many other ways that people can advocate for victims that aren't as visible. Some of these activities take place inside agencies, while other forms of advocacy happen outside of agencies.  

Think of it like a movie or tv show. Everyone sees and recognizes the actors. They are the stars and get the most recognition and adoration. They are the names people think of when the movie title is mentioned. If someone says Forest Gump, people automatically think of Tom Hanks. If Rush Hour is mentioned, people think of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. Most people won’t know the names of the producer or director. Most people don’t know the names of the producer or director, and even fewer could name the camera operators, writers, casting director, or set designer.

Yet, all of these people play a very important role in the final production. Even though we don’t see them on the screen, the movie couldn’t be made without the work they do behind the scenes. There is no action without writers creating a script for the actors to follow. The camera people record the action so that the audience can later watch it on TV or a movie screen. Casting directors make sure the right people are assigned to play different roles, and set designers bring the film’s location to life.  

Every Role Matters

Just as a movie depends on many people beyond the actors, advocacy also thrives because of those working behind the scenes. There are many ways that people support survivors that aren’t seen by the public, but that doesn’t mean these acts aren’t important. Some of the very necessary behind-the-scenes advocacy roles include: 

• Coalitions that work to support the direct service organizations in supporting survivors. Then there are state coalitions that provide resources to the agencies in their service area. These resources include training, financial assistance, technical assistance, and research. Coalitions also represent the interests of agencies and survivors by promoting policies and legislation in the government that help survivors.  
• Volunteers that do so many things. Volunteers work in direct service agencies doing various tasks such as answering hotlines, providing hospital accompaniment, doing administrative tasks, helping with events, providing childcare, and a plethora of other things. 
• Office administrators that keep the agencies running. For a direct service agency to function properly, many administrative tasks must be performed. There’s payroll, HR, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and more. The bills must be paid, records must be properly kept, and the agency must follow federal, state, and local laws to ensure that the doors remain open for clients.   
• Donors who give money and other tangible gifts to support survivors. Whether a person donates five dollars or five million dollars, clothes, a pack of toilet tissue, or free venue space for events, donors are important advocates.  
• Other community organizations that support the work of the agencies and their clients. Working with survivors of interpersonal violence is hard and takes a toll on those who are providing direct service. That’s why organizations like RAFT exist..  to come alongside and support the advocates that are on the front line. We know that domestic and sexual violence will not be eradicated overnight, so it’s vital that advocates stay healthy and resilient for the long journey ahead. While RAFT doesn’t work in direct service, we do work to help maintain the health of those who do.  
• Education/community engagement/fundraising personnel that inform the community about the work of the agency. These advocates provide educational presentations to the community on the dynamics of gender-based violence so that they can better understand what survivors are facing. They also encourage the community to get involved in different ways, such as spreading awareness, volunteering, and offering financial support. 

While most of these people aren’t seen on the frontlines of victim advocacy, they all make necessary and substantial contributions to the advocacy ecosystem by supporting survivors in meaningful ways. 

Advocating Anytime and Anyplace 

Nine years ago, I began working as an advocate at a direct services agency. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats there... including shelter management, court advocacy, emotional support, case management, educational presentations, volunteer management and more. No matter my title or task, at my core, I was always an advocate.

Recently, I left my position at the agency.. but I didn’t leave advocacy.  I still volunteer at the agency for about 10 hours each month, make regular donations of money or supplies, and now I work for RAFT, an organization whose sole purpose is to provide support to advocates so they can continue to provide support to survivors. Although I no longer carry the title of “victim advocate,” the spirit of advocacy remains ingrained in me.

One day, when I retire from indirect services and open my dream coffee and wine bar on the beach, advocacy will still be part of my daily life. At the shop my staff will be trained on DV, SV, HT, and stalking, and they’ll know how to respond if someone is in need. Signs in the bathrooms will point to the local crisis hotline. I’ll offer my space for free to agencies to host events. Advocates will get a discount on their drinks. And every month, I’ll continue to donate time, money, and supplies to support survivors. 

Essentially, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’ll be an advocate. Because advocacy isn’t about a title or a job description. It’s about what you pour your heart, body, and mind into. And when you give yourself to this work, when you commit to being part of the change, being an advocate isn’t just what you do.. it’s who you are.