Description
Written for women working in anti-violence fields (e.g. domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault). Uses a strong gender lens and the specific challenges for women workers in these fields.
What's the evidence base for this resource
Based on the author's 8 months of consultations with expert workers in the sector, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Family Violence. The author was contracted by the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children in London, Ontario, The University of Western Ontario, to produce this report for the Family Violence Prevention Unit, Health Canada.
Potential uses and limitations
The resource is intended for women workers in anti-violence work. Some of the content is also quite specific to the Canadian context. Also note that the publication date is 2001.
Covers topics ranging from individual self-care practices, to organisational strategies. The uniquely feminist perspective, with an emphasis on gender and social justice, sets this apart from many other trauma related resources. The section on organisational strategies includes sections on:
Feminist Philosophy
Social Justice
Organizational Structure
Staffing
Human Resources Policies and Practices
Training
Administrative and Support Staff
Hiring
Orientation and Training
Personal Relationships of Staff
Supervision
Retreats and Celebrations
Exiting Gracefully
Where it comes from
Published by National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Canada. Some of the content does apply specifically to the Canadian context.
Description (article abstract): This study identified workplace factors associated with secondary traumatic stress (STS) in a sample of 148 domestic violence advocates working in diverse settings. Findings indicate that co-worker support and quality clinical supervision are critical to emotional well-being and that an environment in which there is shared power—that is, respect for diversity, mutuality, and consensual decision making—provides better protection for advocates than more traditional, hierarchical organizational models. Furthermore, shared power emerged as the only workplace variable to significantly predict STS above and beyond individual factors. The discussion includes implications for practice and policy as well as directions for future research.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801209347469
What's the evidence base for this resource: Published in peer reviewed academic journal.
Potential uses and limitations: Discusses the importance of worker empowerment as a key protective factor. Could be a useful discussion starter where workers report severe lack of control and power in the workplace.
Where it comes from: Slattery, S. M., & Goodman, L. A. (2009). Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Domestic Violence Advocates: Workplace Risk and Protective Factors. Violence Against Women, 15(11), 1358–1379.
Description Chapter on Vicarious Trauma and self-care (Chapter 14, page 105) for GP's when working with patients experiencing abuse, violence and trauma.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Consistent reference to the research and relevant literature. Includes reference list.
Potential uses and limitation: Includes ideas for personal and organisational strategies to enhance protective factors: awareness, balance and connection. Many of the themes here are relevant across different types of organisations where trauma exposure is present.
Where it comes from: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 'White Book'.
Description: Downloadable fact sheet with brief explanations of common themes associated with vicarious trauma, and some tips for looking after yourself.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Is presented as a 'Factsheet' style resource. Refers to a small range of credible literature sources to support key points.
Potential uses and limitations: Although it acknowledges the organisational context, the focus is on individual workers awareness and self-care. Intended for workers in the sexual abuse field, however much of the information relates to trauma more generally.
Where it comes from: Knowmore, an Australian legal service set up to assist survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
Description: Literature summary and discussion of key themes related to vicarious trauma.
Topics include:
Section one: DefinitionsWhat's the evidence base for this resource: While intended to be accessible to workers in the field, this resource does include a reasonably thorough amount of referencing to credible research and academic literature.
Potential uses and limitations Offers a variety of perspectives, from clinical to ethics-centred, to generate discussion and reflection. There are some general suggestions regarding supportive organisational practices, as well as personal self-care practices. Some of the infographics at the end are not particularly useful or relevant. Is a relatively lengthy read, although sections can be read individually.
Where it comes from: Australian based website livingwell.org.au which provides support and information to men who have experienced sexual abuse.
Description: This series of video presentations critiques the notions of 'burnout' and 'vicarious trauma'. Instead, Dr Reynolds suggests 'spiritual pain' as a more accurate term to describe what happens when workers are faced with the effects that oppression has on the lives of clients. She argues that the key question for workers and organisations is not 'how is your mental health?', but rather 'how are we treating each other?'
Dr Reynolds has also written about her approach to 'centring ethics' in supervision to explore the harms experienced by workers in this article which she has made freely available through her website.
Dr Vikki Reynolds is an activist/therapist who works to bridge the worlds of social justice activism with community work & therapy.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Dr Reynold's
experience includes supervision and therapy with refugees and survivors
of torture, sexualized violence counsellors, mental health and substance
misuse counsellors, housing and shelter workers, activists and working
alongside gender and sexually diverse communities.
Potential uses and limitation: Provides a perspective on "vicarious trauma" that challenges clinical, symptom focused frameworks. Useful for workplaces that place ethical considerations at the centre of their work, to think about how teams and organisations can develop effective practices of collective care and accountability.
Where it comes from: Dr Vikki Reynolds' professional development presentation for the BC Settlement and Language Service Providers' Provincial Meeting hosted by AMSSA, 2017.