Victim Support Team (VST)

About VST

The Victim Support Team (VST) delivers services through two dynamic programs, providing short term advocacy to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other violent crimes. VST advocates and volunteers address immediate safety concerns and offer connections to resources, working in close partnership with the Seattle Police Department and City of Seattle co-responders.

VST Programs

Victim Services Specialists

The VST advocates are full-time employees of HSD. They provide critical support to survivors Monday through Friday over the phone.  Through collaboration with Seattle Police Department Patrol, Detectives, and System-Based partners, they offer flexible and tailored advocacy services.

Community Volunteer Team

Community Volunteers with the Victim Support Team operate in-person on the weekends as a mobile crisis response team, and during the week offering remote phone advocacy.

• WEEKEND MOBILE CO-RESPONSE
  VST operates as a part of the City’s safety network and evolving co-response to violence. Throughout each weekend, volunteers work in pairs and support services both in-person and over the phone. Requests come from a wide range of sources, including patrol officers, detectives, prosecutors, ER social workers, and system-based advocates. Seattle Police officers can request that volunteers respond to domestic violence and sexual assault scenes once the situation has been screened.
• REMOTE ADVOCACY
  A new opportunity emerged during the pandemic for volunteers to offer the same essential and timely support to survivors remotely. Through innovation on digital platforms, volunteers in this role are able to offer robust services from home.

Volunteer Recruitment

Check out Volunteer Opportunities with VST. The annual recruitment cycle opens in the Spring with a competitive application process. Virtual Information Sessions will be posted each year for anyone interested in further details about the role and volunteer program. Training and onboarding for new volunteers occurs in the Fall, including extensive SPD backgrounding.