“It is a burden we carry because of each other’s stories”: Professionals who assist women in situations of violence

Abstract

Working with cases involving violence against women entails challenges that range from the conditions and structures available to perform the work to personal consequences resulting from constant exposure to gender-based violence. Considering the inherent challenges in working with women in situations of violence and the precariousness of this work, this study aimed to explore the perceived consequences of such work on the personal lives of professionals, understand their motivation to engage in cases of violence against women, and identify the coping strategies used to care for their mental health. Fifteen professionals from the Women’s Care Network were interviewed, and the interviews were later analyzed using Thematic Analysis. From these interviews, five themes emerged: consequences of the work; genderrelated impacts; reframing of personal histories of violence; the professional role; and structural challenges in public policies. Perceived consequences included impacts on intimate relationships and parenting practices, mood fluctuations, vicarious traumatization, desensitization to violence, intrusion of work into personal life, reframing of the personal history of violence, and the breaking of myths about gender-based violence. The coping strategies identified included reducing exposure to violent content, social distancing, distancing from work, recognizing one’s role and successful experiences, participating in social movements, and individual self-care practices. The findings highlight the complex range of factors associated with working conditions in the Women’s Care Network, involving individual, relational, social, and political dimensions. Future studies need to prioritize the development and evaluation of health promotion programs, while public policies for this category should also be placed on the State’s agenda.