I've been a volunteer with BAWAR since 2002. The training and support from the staff and fellow volunteers is incredible. I believe they really care about their volunteers beyond the center, AND also about their lives outside of BAWAR.
I believe BAWAR's mission is to support sexual assault survivors and treat everyone who needs their services with dignity and kindness, and they most assuredly do. They have amazing community support and love. I have heard from survivors that they were so glad BAWAR existed, because they had no other support, or never told anyone outside of BAWAR they were assaulted.
I became a Board member around 2005, which is another way of volunteering. I love this agency and have encouraged my friends, family, co-workers to get involved with them.
I have been a volunteer at BAWAR for a little over 2 months now. The training I received prior to volunteering was exceptional. What BAWAR does for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence is nothing short of amazing- from a 24/7 crisis line, to in-person counseling, outreach, the Sexually Exploited Minors program and more. My hope is that the organization will grow and become household name so that every victim of sexual assault will know that there is someone they can call and so that the families, friends, and significant others of these survivors also know that they can reach out for support as well.
I started volunteering with Bawar about 6 weeks ago, training to be a rape crisis advocate. I was immediately impressed with their knowledge, dedication, and the resources they provide to a community that sorely needs them. They are doing great work, and I am thrilled to be a part of it now. There are so many ways to help at Bawar. There is truly something for everyone who wants to help, no matter your skill set or comfort level.
Although the organization is Bay Area Women Against Rape, we have great volunteers both male and female that give their time, compassion and effort to this organization. BAWAR is an organization that helps victims become survivors, many of our volunteers are either survivors of sexual assault or know some one that is-this knowledge gives callers the sense that they are not alone. Truly as long as BAWAR has a heartbeat they are not alone.
Last year I got my rape crisis certification through Bay Area Women Against Rape. Since then, I have been working around 35 hours a month on their 24-hour crisis hotline. Volunteering with this organization has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I have the privilege of learning from survivors' stories of resistance and I have met some truly outstanding individuals.
BAWAR is a warm community of folks actively working toward change and working to make resources, like their 24-hour hotline, available to all who need it.
BAWAR is a fantastic organization that offers a wide range of much needed to services to the oppressed and violated. They help support survivors of sexual violence with their hotline and free in-person counseling, they help get exploited minors off the streets and to safer places, they go into prisons and work with offenders, and that's just part of their scope!
I love BAWAR! The staff are incredibly passionate about what they do, and it shines through their high-touch support for all the volunteers. Staff are always available to check-in and debrief after crisis-line shifts, continuously looking for feedback to improve their initiatives, and organize highly informative and resourceful workshops each month. I genuinely enjoy volunteering with BAWAR!