Welcome to the 2025 March issue of Volunteer Voices, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) volunteers.
In this Issue:
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Hello! My name is Victoria Nevel-Babla, and I began as the Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence coordinator in Domestic and Sexual Violence Services last November. I convene the multidisciplinary response teams in Fairfax County as well as lead training and education on these topics. My goal is to improve our coordinated trauma-informed practices so victims can heal through community support and so all of us can experience peace.
Training as an intern on my local 24-hour crisis line, I learned so many skills for supporting people that I stayed on as a volunteer while studying at Dartmouth College. I applied active listening, reflecting, and the empowerment model to support friends, family, and strangers alike to make new connections and strengthen my relationships. This experience gave me the opportunity to work on a public health fellowship, helping start the first crisis line in Mumbai, India, and then researching psychological interventions for girls who had experienced sex trafficking. From there, I pursued a master’s in public policy in the European Union, returned to the U.S. to lead New Hampshire’s Human Trafficking Task Force, and now am continuing my journey with you all here in Fairfax County.
Becoming a volunteer quite literally changed the trajectory of my life, building my career, enabling me to connect to others, and opening so many new experiences--both on the Hotline and off it. While there are so many personal benefits to joining, it also brings an invaluable benefit to our community. The hard work our volunteers do every day shows victims they are not alone, no matter how difficult or isolating it is to experience violence. Your presence means hope, healing, justice, and a future with peace are possibilities for everyone. All you have to do is listen.
Victoria Nevel-Babla
Prevention, Education, Coordination Team
When life is hectic, stress can show up in myriad ways. But one great side effect of self-care is alleviating that stress. Here, DSVS volunteers suggested some of their go-to activities to lower stress.
March is Women’s History Month. To help observe the month, we recommend adding “The 5 Tenets of Turning Pain into Power” TED Talk featuring human rights advocate Christine Schuler Deschryver to your watch list. A supportive community is the key to cultivating resilience and unlocking healing, she says before sharing the story of City of Joy, a transformative recovery program for survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She details how the organization empowers people to reclaim their lives after trauma and turn their pain into power. (Warning: This talk contains a graphic story. Discretion is advised.)
“In a society that functions optimally, those who can should naturally want to provide for those who can’t. That’s how it’s designed to work. I truly believe we’re here to take care of one another.”–LeVar Burton
The mission of the Heart Leaf Center is to be able to serve those families that don’t have access to quality mental health care for their children. During covid, one of the founders of HLC realized a lot of children coming into therapy at her private outpatient clinic didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford to pay out of pocket. Learn more about HLC’s therapeutic model and how the center has gone from accepting clients on mainly a sliding fee scale to accepting insurance—in four short years.
Each newsletter will include this section to help share reviews, spotlight the people who support Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, recognize birthdays and list upcoming trainings and meetings.
Domestic and Sexual Violence Services’ podcast, Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence, is real talk on tough topics! Stay in the know with these biweekly discussions. If you have ideas for topics you’d like to hear addressed on Unscripted, email them to DSVS’ communications specialist Kendra Lee.
“Black Box Diaries”
Women’s History Month officially began in March 1987 when the Congress designated the month to honor women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. But its roots trace back to Women’s History Week, which started in 1978 in Sonoma County, California, as a local celebration.
Katrina Hush and Audrey Arnold help hang artwork at the Teen Advocates Art Gallery event in February.