Inside a H.E.A.R.T. Volunteer

Inside a H.E.A.R.T. Volunteer

It’s late when the phone rings, and when you see it’s from the Vernon County Sheriff Department, your heart starts running a marathon before you can even say hello.

Somebody is hurting.

You take down the necessary information, quickly take care of what needs to be done at home, grab your lime green H.E.A.R.T. bag, and jump into the car.

And then your mind begins running right after your racing heart.

What happened?

Is the victim going to be okay?

Is this someone young? Old? Has this happened to them before? Are children involved?

And when your brain has run through all the possibilities, you remember your training.

Breathe.

Inhale calm, exhale strength.

You might start talking out loud: Please let me be helpful.

Let me listen compassionately.

Let me listen to understand.

Let me ask how they feel I can best support them.

Let this not be someone I’ve met before or someone this has happened to before. But if so, please let me explain the cycle of abuse in such a way that they get it—really get it and want to make a change.

You find the address, see the police car, get briefed by the officer, and then introduce yourself to the person in need of assistance as a H.E.A.R.T volunteer.

Then you wait.

You give them space.

You stay quiet and listen.

Hold a hand or give a Kleenex.

Let them lead.

Let them tell you what they need.

Sometimes it’s an hour-long talk in the person’s car, or two hours sitting around their kitchen table.

Other times, it’s at the hospital, and you pull a chair up to their bed.

Ultimately, all the calls are the same.

Someone was hurt.

Someone hurt them.

Someone needs support.

And as a H.E.A.R.T volunteer, those phone calls might not ever get easy. Your heart may always race. But what you do may make a difference. You hope so.

* H.E.A.R.T. — the Help End Abuse Response Team in Vernon County — trains community volunteers to provide immediate, compassionate support alongside law enforcement on domestic violence calls. To volunteer, call and ask for Janice Turben: (608) 688-2312.