Volunteer Spotlight: Blake Johnson
Blake Johnson, Crisis Line Volunteer
The Rape Recovery Center volunteer team consists of nearly 150 incredible individuals who give their time, talents, and passion to furthering our mission of serving survivors and educating the community about sexual violence. This month we are spotlighting our incredible crisis line volunteer, Blake Johnson!
Blake has been volunteering with the Rape Recovery Center in the crisis line since 2017! Blake is a great advocate that shows kindness and sense of humor is refreshing. It is a pleasure to work with Blake and we value their time and feedback!
What motivated you to become a volunteer at the Rape Recovery Center?
Admittedly my main motivation for finding volunteer work was that I needed to strengthen my dental school application (which I never actually finished). I chose to volunteer at the Rape Recovery Center because I saw sexual assault and rape as a real problem within the gay community in Utah. I felt that it was not being addressed within many parts of the community. I didn't have any skills or knowledge on how to go about addressing it within my own life, so I decided to volunteer on the Crisis Line.
What have you enjoyed most about your time as an RRC volunteer?
Being a volunteer with the RRC has just made my life better in so many ways. Growing up in a super religious household I never learned or talked about sex, consent, STIs, etc. I love that volunteering at the RRC has allowed me to reframe something that used to be something so taboo into something that is natural and fun. I actually work in sexual health now and I plan to continue making sexual health a large part of my career.
What is most challenging about your volunteer work at the RRC?
I would say the most challenging thing volunteering here is talking to primary survivors. When someone is in crisis it can be difficult to not feel for them. At the same time, that is what is so rewarding to volunteer on the Crisis Line. It feels great to be able to help someone through an incredibly challenging time.
Tell us a little more about how you spend your time outside of volunteering for the RRC - hobbies, passions, work, school?
I graduated from the U with a degree in Biology. Right now I work at the Utah AIDS Foundation running their prevention programs (HIV/STI testing and syringe exchange). I am applying for PA school this summer. I'm a basic millennial, I have a sheesh ton of plants. TBH, IDK why more people don't do it, it's super fun. I also have a planted aquarium. I know these don't sound like hobbies, but they take up more time than you would think.
You have immersed yourself in the very difficult work of addressing sexual violence. What gives you hope as you approach this work?
Zoloft. jk. I think my own experiences with sexual assault really give me hope doing this work. I was sexually assaulted years and years ago and it was really hard for a very long time. Since then I have been able to move on and I have a super healthy (and fun) sex life now. When people call in crisis, I know how much that sucks, but I also know that is not where they are going to be forever. I am excited for them, because I know how much better their life will be, with appropriate help and interventions.
What is your message to others looking to get involved in this work, or considering volunteer work at the RRC?
Do it! It really is incredibly rewarding work. It's surprising how much of an impact volunteering is going to have in your life. So often we have blinders on in life and we aren't able to see the struggles that other people are going through. It can definitely be hard at times, but it is 100% worth it.