An Interview With Edna Dawit

MADISON ACTIVIST TALKS EXPERIENCE, INTENTION AND AFTERCARE

Written by Gabrielle Gronewold, Editor in Chief Graphic by Annika Ide, Art Director TW: Discussion of rape, trauma and trauma response If you or someone you know please call the RCC at 608-251-7273.

Edna Dawit (she/her) is a recent graduate of the psychology department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As Co-

President of UW-Madison’s Global

Health Alliance and an emerging graduate student Dawit is passionate about social justice, mental health and victim advocation.

Dawit additionally serves as a helpline volunteer at the Rape Crisis Center (RCC) here in Madison. The RCC offers support to survivors for all forms of sexual violence—one of their services is a 24-hour helpline, which is where Dawit comes in.

As a helpline volunteer, Dawit wears an important hat, one which may be troubling to both wear and take off. Speaking with her shed light on the touchpoints an activist crosses in their pursuit of support, change and achieve personal self-care.

*This interview has been edited and lightly condensed.

MM: Why did you choose to get involved with the RCC?

ED: I am interested in working with people who have gone through trauma and adversity. So this position is a great opportunity to get experience in the field and also help those process what they are going through.

MM: What does a typical shift at the RCC look like?

ED: Once I settle in the room, I let the On Call Advocate, aka OCA (kind of like a supervisor), know that I arrived. The OCA is there to support you whenever you need help on a call or would like to process any difficult calls you had during your shift. I then review some notes from previous shifts and wait for the phone to ring.

Callers definitely vary, but I was surprised at how many older people call. Most of the older people who call need assistance in processing an assault that happened a while back.

MM: What are you allowed/not allowed to talk about on a call?

ED: We normally shy away from talking about ourselves. The helpline is a space that is for the caller and we try to respect that boundary! Other than that, I try to let the caller lead the conversation and let them share what they feel most comfortable.

MM: What approaches do you take to serve callers?

ED: Active listening and validation are extremely important. Many of the callers want to feel heard and I do so by providing minimal encouragement (like an mhhm, yes). I then try to validate their emotion because callers may feel a variety of feelings (angry, sad, disgusted). Their emotions are justified. Lastly, I try to touch on selfcare towards the end. The hope is that after the call they can do something for themselves to destress.

MM: How do you personally prepare for a call shift?

ED: One way is by reading the notes of previous volunteers. We talk about different strategies to use with different callers. Some callers really just want you to listen, while others want to converse more. It is important that we lean on each other’s notes to provide the best care for them. I also try to refresh myself on tips and strategies to use.

MM: What has been the most impactful thing you have experienced in this role?

ED: Hearing positive feedback from our callers makes me smile! One caller had told me that they had not felt understood in a while and they finally felt that while talking to me. It almost made me cry! It was very sweet to hear how a phone call can impact others’ healing journey in such a positive way.

MM: What does your aftercare routine look like?

ED: After my overnight shift, I spend the next day catching up on sleep and spoiling myself. I do a hair treatment, face mask and enjoy the day to myself. I think aftercare is super important for this position and I take it very seriously. I will always do some sort of selfcare after my shift. The RCC also sends weekly emails on various self-care activities which I enjoy reading.

MM: What would you say to someone interested in working for the RCC?

ED: I think its a great opportunity! It is a pretty heavy position so please be sure that you do have the mental capacity to listen and provide support for others going through a very traumatic experience (and it is okay if you don’t—it is a tough job!) You are able to sign up for the training session online at thercc.com. ■