Womenspace teaches volunteers how to help victims of batterers.

Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard

When Sandy Brown needed someone to console her during an abusive relationship, a Womenspace crisis counselor was there. Now, the 39-year-old molecular biology major at the University of Oregon and single mother wants to give back to the women's advocacy organization that was there to comfort her during a difficult period in her life, she said.

On Saturday, Brown was among a group of 52 people who were trained to be Womenspace volunteers.

"I feel this is empowering for me to work for Womenspace," Brown said during a break in her orientation session Saturday.

Having left an abusive relationship five years ago, Brown said she can empathize with women who call Womenspace's 24-hour crisis line. Women who are abused by spouses or boyfriends oftentimes feel stigmatized because it is not a subject talked about in the open, she said.

"I want to help women face their challenges, hold their hand for a moment, and soothe them," said Brown, who will soon be applying for graduate school in science and medical genetics.

Good listening skills and an ability to empathize are among the top qualities Womenspace is looking for in volunteers, said Margo Schaefer, Womenspace community outreach director. Volunteers are asked to make a six-month commitment to volunteer four hours a week, Schaefer said.

Womenspace was started in 1975 by nine women who recognized the need to help the victims of domestic violence. The organization provides a 24-hour crisis line, an emergency shelter for women and children, transitional housing, a legal clinic and other services.

Training includes sessions identifying and defining domestic violence, as well as dating violence, and myths about domestic abuse.

Volunteers are also coached on assessing potentially abusive situations and assisting women in creating an action plan that may involve filing a restraining order or fleeing the household.

To prevent burnout, Schaefer encourages volunteers to keep the big picture in mind: ending domestic violence.

"Stay grounded and start by remembering that only a small percentage of men are batterers," she said.

Megan Kohler, 29, of Eugene, has prior experience working as a volunteer at women's shelters in Illinois and New Mexico. Kohler, who works at a bookstore in Eugene, is considering a career as a court advocate for women in abusive relationships.

Crisis line volunteers need to have a calm voice that sounds approachable and callers need to know their confidentiality will be honored, Kohler said.

"This just adds more meaning to my life by helping other women," she said.

While some domestic violence incidents end tragically, Schaefer remains positive by focusing on how the program has turned the lives around for people such as Brown.

"The true danger is hopelessness. You have to look for hope and success stories," she said.