Interview with an advocate and an interventionist.
I went to a Battered Women's Shelter to interview an interventionist. Her name was Rita Christie; she has been an interventionist for many years, as well as a victim of violence. Rita went to Kent State and received a degree in English prior to her current job. I found her to be also exceptionally funny, and quite positive about her life and her job. .
I asked her if she found it disturbing when she has to deal with all kinds of abuse cases and if there were some she thought she just couldn't win. Rita told me there once was a case where she was a counselor for a family. A women's husband began to abuse her. As the sessions progressed, she believed things were getting better, but she found out he began to sexually abuse his daughter. .
This was the time she had just started at the shelter, and believed she was helping them to solve their problems. Instead, Rita thought she might have aided in insighting the abuse. She told me she almost wanted to quit and with all the referrals, advice, and counseling she gave them, he not only, was still abusing his wife physically, but began to abuse his daughter sexually. .
Rita said many times victim's just need someone to talk to. Having someone who has their complete attention devoted to them, and not having to listen to other people's problems seemed to help them heal. She uses active listening skills, in a one-on-one setting, and tries to show as much emotion as possible so they understand they have someone on their side. Rita told me she cries a lot when she hears many of her client's stories, because she is happy her client just was able to pull through. .
As an interventionist, she finds referrals and contacts become critical in a crisis. When a women comes to the shelter and has just left an abusive relationship many times they need to find a place to stay, money, and the strength to start over, Rita has to be able to help her.