Pros
Direct Service Experience with Survivors. Great coworkers.
Cons
If you are checking out this organization as a potential employer, I commend you for your due diligence and admire your desire to work with survivors of sexual assault. I want you to know my experience, which you will see matches many others, to realize that this organization is not what it seems. I don't doubt that the organization was created with good intentions, but it's hard to tell by looking at the (dis)organization today. Vicarious trauma is expected with a job such as this but Organizational Trauma was a first for me. To begin, the management which consists of only two people does not know how to lead. I'm not sure if they have previous experience or just decided that it wasn't necessary for their roles. Attempting to communicate with them was exasperating. They were not available for me or my colleagues but when they wanted something from employees it was urgent. Perhaps worse than their incompetence was their attitudes. They were both antagonistic towards employees and other organizations. I never saw them work directly with clients so I can't comment on their attitudes towards survivors, but I do know that their terrible treatment of employees absolutely affects survivors of the county who deserve better. Employees often made requests for better communication, treatment, and support. Management not only ignored them, but also seemed to target those who spoke up. The turnover rate at RTS is astronomical. They excuse this as "normal" within a non-profit, but this high rate is far from normal. It's a constant cycle of new passionate employees joining as the people who have been there for months are burnt out and looking to leave. They seem to fire on a whim. BIPOC fired at an alarming rate. They need to be held accountable for firing practices. EX: Is there protocol before firing someone such as giving an official warning and working on a plan of improvement together? I would caution potential employees and discourage them from joining. You do not have to put up with being treated poorly in order to work in a field that is important to you. I am still healing from the toxicity and disrespect and wish that for all current and past employees.