Intern Spotlight: Abigail Crippes

Abigail Crippes recently interned at HAVEN, a program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. This is her account of her internship experience in her own words.

As a social action intern, I had many different roles when it came to helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. My role at HAVEN essentially was to advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. I assisted and supported survivors during the process of petitioning for a personal protection order (PPO), I attended civil and criminal court hearings with survivors and I was a first responder when there was a strangulation or a sexual assault exam. During these roles, I would support and validate the survivors' emotions and answer their questions.

My direct interaction with clients is what allowed me to gain so much experience and learn more than I could have imagined. Not only have I gained experience with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, but I have gained knowledge of our criminal justice system. Experiencing a court setting has allowed me to see a new side of our criminal justice system and I will now be able to apply this knowledge to my future endeavors. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to intern at HAVEN.