Her Story
About Sonja
After surviving 18 years of domestic violence in Germany, I escaped to the U.S. to start a new life. My background was in the restaurant industry and Medicare field, but I never felt like that was really who I am. After going through therapy and reflecting on what happened, I realized I wanted to help other females and males in similar situations. I went back to school and earned my bachelor's in criminal justice, and now I'm in a law enforcement program to become a police officer. I work with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse. I do restraining orders like HOs and OFPs after helping victims get away from certain situations. I'm also a forensic interviewer, which means I interview kids, young people, and vulnerable adults after sexual assault and child abuse. I'm responsible for social media campaigns to raise awareness in our community and beyond. Since I'm working for the tribe, I try to raise awareness about the tribal community and how all of this affects them, and try to get the education out.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sonja
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my consistency, my own experience, and my curiosity to learning. I love learning - I'm a lifelong learner. My personal experience as a survivor has been fundamental to my work, and my commitment to continuously educating myself keeps me moving forward in this field.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is to stay open-minded and stay on track. It's important to really educate yourself on new developments, especially the technical stuff. And never stop learning - that continuous education and staying current with what's happening in your field is crucial.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to never give up, and to trust and believe. Stay open-minded. This work requires patience and persistence, but if you maintain that openness and belief in yourself and the people you're helping, you can make a real difference.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is definitely gaining trust from people. I know how hard it is as a survivor or as a victim - it takes time, and you need patience. As for opportunities, I feel like we have a lot of opportunities for prevention work, and there is still so much to do. Collaborating with other organizations is key, and I'm really looking forward to collaborating with other agencies from other states to expand our impact.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, consistency, and gratitude. These principles guide both my professional work with victims and survivors, and my personal journey of growth and healing.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Minnesota
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.