5 Reasons Advocates are Superheroes

Advocates work hard all hours of the day to provide services to every victim that walks through their doors. The unsung heroes of the legal world, let’s take some time to talk about why we make such an impact!

We put in long hours.

Advocates can work some SERIOUSLY long hours. When jury trials last for days, some judges make them go from 9am to 9pm with just an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner. Advocates spend treacherously long days in court and meetings and attend outreach events. These hours can take a serious toll on advocates, in combination with other aspects of the job. If advocates aren’t careful, we can experience vicarious trauma and burnout, making us less effective at our jobs.

We have to give bad news… a lot.

There are many times that we have to call a victim and tell them something we know they don’t want to hear. And, yes, it breaks our heart. It makes us sad. We wish we could give every victim the resolution they desire, but it doesn’t always turn out that way. We stand beside them when the verdict comes back as Not Guilty, encouraging survivors not to give up.

We do a lot for small recognition.

Not to toot our own horns here, but our jobs require a lot of finesse - and we balance many roles within our specific field. Most people don’t know what advocates are, what we do or who we work with. We’re counselors, confidants, creators… We hold others accountable for ensuring the cases go where they are supposed to and the proper paperwork gets submitted. Advocates sit on the phone with victims to listen as they talk about how they had to move because of the bad memories of their home. We make recommendations for survivors to seek counseling from reputable agencies, we work with community partners to increase their usage. Our jobs are understaffed and, often, underpaid. Regardless - we love what we do!

We go above and beyond.

Some advocates will drive five hours to pick up a victim that doesn’t have transportation for a court hearing. Some advocates rally the community to donate clothes or Christmas presents for the children of a survivor of domestic violence. Some advocates host events that raise thousands of dollars for local community-based programs. Advocates everywhere go above and beyond what their job description is to provide services to victims of crime.

We’d look great in a superhero suit.

Let’s face it, superheroes get to wear the BEST costumes. Why wouldn’t we want to get in on that scene? As long as Edna designed it, though…

There are plenty more reasons why advocates are superheroes; these are just a few. Why do you think advocates are superheroes? Let us know!