KAREN ANGEL always knew she wanted a job helping people, which is why she studied psychology at Washington State University.
She was hired as a YWCA Advocate partway through her degree, which has included many relevant classes like Violence Toward Women, Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents, and Families in Poverty.
“When I first began my job with the YWCA, I was super excited to help women who felt alone.” Karen loved the idea of helping families and guiding survivors to light and hope.
She’s done crisis work responding to sexual assaults at the hospital and handling domestic violence calls. She represents the YWCA at the county protection order clinic and accompanies clients to hearings.
“Working in the shelter for the past two years, I have noticed that some kids come into our shelter in distress and frustrated because of the situation they were living in,” she said. “Of course it’s reflected in their behavior.”
Coursework about poverty, she said, “allowed me to truly see the struggles that low-income families go through and how much it impacts not just the parents but the kids as well. Sometimes those struggles go on for generations.”
THE BEST FEELING
“I love to see when a woman who has been put down or gaslighted finds their purpose again,” Karen said. “Watching them fly from our shelter to their own home – with a job and empowered – is the best feeling in the world.”
Now in her new role, she continues her work in the shelter and also spends half her time as an advocate at Whitman providing free, confidential support to anyone experiencing assault or intimate partner violence.
While these YWCA services can be provided on campus, an assault will not be reported to college officials unless the survivor wishes.
And those times when abuse is reported, Karen offers support throughout the investigation process. She understands how traumatic an assault can be and that it has the potential to disrupt a student’s education.
“What happened to them was not their fault,” Karen said. “I want to encourage them to continue with their careers and move on from an awful experience.”