Despite efforts by law enforcement, medical professionals, teachers, families and others to prevent abuse, abuse still exists today and affects the lives of millions of people in the U.S. and worldwide. Abuse comes in all different forms; whether it is physical, sexual, psychological, or even financial, and can happen to anybody, from middle-aged men to elderly women and small children. The more people that we have fighting abuse and raising awareness, letting victims know that it’s okay to speak up and offering them safety, the better we can improve the situation regarding abuse in all forms around the world. We’ve listed some of the best career choices for anybody who’s passionate about standing up to abuse.

Nurse

Every day, nurses work with victims of all different forms of abuse. Nurses could work with assault victims in the ER, whilst mental health nurses play a vital part in caring for victims who have been strongly emotionally affected by the trauma that they have experienced. Nurses can often play a vital role in spotting the signs of abuse in patients who may be too frightened or unable to speak up. A rewarding career, nursing is also filled with many opportunities, for example studying on an RN to MSN program after graduating. Click the link for masters in nursing program details or contact your preferred university for a RN to MSN program guide.

Counselor

Counselors and therapists play a huge part in the recovery process of those who have suffered abuse at the hands of others, and likewise, can often help abusers to change their behaviors and stop hurting people. However, working as a counsellor is no easy task, and you will need to be thick-skinned, mindful, and able to detach yourself from situations and the stories that you will be hearing day-to-day in your job.

Social Worker

Social workers work with a wide range of different people in order to safeguard, protect, and help them to achieve their best. Social workers are most often known for working with vulnerable children, who may be at a higher level of risk when it comes to mistreatment, abuse and neglect. As a social worker, it will be your job to assess situations and step in if you believe that things have or could be taken too far. Social workers have a stressful job with high levels of responsibility. However, the fact that you have the ability to prevent abuse and mistreatment makes it a hugely rewarding profession.

Teacher

As a teacher, you will be working with children every day and you’ll often be their first port of call when it comes to many of their issues. As a teacher, your job gives you the responsibility of safeguarding and looking after the children that you teach, which means looking out for any signs that they are being mistreated, such as sudden changes in behavior or suspicious marks or bruises.

Sadly, abuse still goes on a lot more often than many realize, even in an age where there’s more awareness than ever before. If you’re determined to spend your career fighting and preventing abuse, these career paths could be perfect for you.