One local organization -- historically known as female -- recently added a few good men. AW/ARE, Mercer County's agency against domestic and sexual violence, has taken on three qualified men to work as emergency response advocates.

While in the past the agency has had male volunteers working hotlines and doing direct care services, never have there been male emergency response advocates -- until now.

Candace Blake, assistant director of direct services, said the agency was looking for the right people to correspond with victims. They wanted them to have maturity, good backgrounds, familiarity with the area and day, night and weekend availability.

Henry M. Mueller of Greenville, James Edwards of Farrell and Bob Boliver of Hermitage all fit the job requirements perfectly.

"We wanted people the clients could be comfortable around," Ms. Blake said.

Mueller, 68, is a retired gynecologist. Edwards, 67, also retired, was a police officer in Farrell for six years before serving as a counselor at George Junior Republic in Pine Township. He also worked in the social services field, heading up a community action agency and serving as bureau director in the human resources department of community affairs.

Boliver, 62, was involved in youth advocacy programs, working for several years at the Youth Detention Center in New Castle, and dealing with probation children. He's also heavily involved in his church. For more than 37 years he's helped people with their addictions and is now 38 years sober himself.

Though the former jobs vary for the three advocates, they all had jobs that in some way helped people, Ms. Blake said.

"That's what their life passion was all about. The experience they bring has certainly enhanced our program," Ms. Blake said. "It just fit."

Before the men were hired, staff were forced to work overtime, said Mimi Prada, assistant director of outreach. She recalled a time when after working a regular shift, she was sent out in the middle of the night on an emergency call. Those calls can last awhile, due to protocol, she said. The bulk of calls are from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Advocates are the first to have contact with victims. They work to provide victims with referrals and other information that will help with further assistance. Advocates also provide support and arrange follow-ups for the next day. Often that means dealing with victims' families and working with a sexual assault response team made up of police officers, a sexual assault nurse examiner and the district attorney.

The agency didn't receive any special funding for the three positions. It was just a matter of reallocating money from the general fund and reworking positions, Ms. Blake said. They began extensive training in early December and by the end of January were being sent out on calls.

"They took off really quick," Ms. Blake said. "They have a lot of really good ideas and have opened up a lot of new avenues, perspectives and insight to the way we do things. All the way around it's been really positive."

Edwards has already arranged to produce a manual, which will explain to future emergency response advocates their specific job duties.

He said he wouldn't have applied if a friend hadn't convinced him. The most difficult part of his job so far has been dealing with the victims' significant others, he said.

"I was skeptical at first but now I'm enjoying it," he said. "My wife was glad to see me get out of the house."

Boliver said his interest in people motivated him to mail in his résumé. "I've always had a great interest in working with people with problems, no matter who they are," he said.

Mueller said he also applied out of interest, with nothing much else going on as a retiree. "When this came up I said 'Well, why not?'" he said.

And while the male hires are "rather unusual" for the agency, they fit right in, Ms. Blake said.

"We're just looking for the right kind of person with the right kind touch. They just happen to be men. It could be a man or a woman; it doesn't matter. It just has to be the right person."