Vicarious traumatisation: Experiences of social workers working with intimate partner violence victims in victim empowerment programmes

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the experiences of a cohort of social workers who primarily work with women who have been victimised by their intimate partners within victim empowerment programmes (VEPs). It explores the nature of vicarious trauma, its impact on social workers, and strategies for recognising, managing, and mitigating its effects. Six social workers participated in individual semi-structured interviews as part of a broader study on the experiences of victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the experiences of social workers regarding the victim empowerment programmes. The data were subjected to thematic analysis, identifying themes to guide the analysis. Participants reported experiencing symptoms of vicarious trauma, which included compassion fatigue. The study further revealed that professionals who deal with victims of any form of violence are at risk of being affected by their experiences. The study, therefore, concludes that because of the amount of vicarious trauma that professionals (social workers) of VE programmes experience, it is imperative that psychological support in the form of debriefing be incorporated into workplace support. Moreover, self-care strategies and the utilisation of organisational support services should be developed and encouraged.