Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims
Domestic violence (DV) remains a significant public health concern and a violation of human rights. The complex challenges faced by professionals who directly engage DV victims, combined with their consistent exposure to distressing narratives, have the potential to significantly impact the well-bei...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Social Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/9/525 |
| _version_ | 1797576825881231360 |
|---|---|
| author | Elisabete Ferreira Ana Sofia Figueiredo Anita Santos |
| author_facet | Elisabete Ferreira Ana Sofia Figueiredo Anita Santos |
| author_sort | Elisabete Ferreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Domestic violence (DV) remains a significant public health concern and a violation of human rights. The complex challenges faced by professionals who directly engage DV victims, combined with their consistent exposure to distressing narratives, have the potential to significantly impact the well-being of these practitioners. This, in turn, can directly influence the quality of the support they provide to victims. The present study aims to explore the psychological impact of working with DV victims on these professionals while simultaneously investigating the coping mechanisms they employ. Twenty-four professionals from DV victim support in Portugal participated in this qualitative research. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study unveils that this line of work can indeed be profoundly impactful, potentially resulting in adverse outcomes such as fatigue, emotional exhaustion, frustration, and difficulties in emotional regulation. Nonetheless, the research also reveals that professionals are capable of developing coping strategies to mitigate the negative impact of their work. This study proposes a set of suggested measures that should not only be adopted by professionals but should also be smoothly incorporated into the strategies of organizations committed to supporting DV victims. Ultimately, by bolstering the welfare of DV professionals, this research strives to enhance the quality of support extended to victims and provide meaningful input for informed policymaking, improved practices, and effective training approaches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:00:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a2d3c079ed84ab582278c13c8bd1a78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:00:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a2d3c079ed84ab582278c13c8bd1a782023-11-19T12:59:32ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-09-0112952510.3390/socsci12090525Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence VictimsElisabete Ferreira0Ana Sofia Figueiredo1Anita Santos2Department of Social Sciences and Behavior, University of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, PortugalDepartment of Social Sciences and Behavior, University of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, PortugalDepartment of Social Sciences and Behavior, University of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, PortugalDomestic violence (DV) remains a significant public health concern and a violation of human rights. The complex challenges faced by professionals who directly engage DV victims, combined with their consistent exposure to distressing narratives, have the potential to significantly impact the well-being of these practitioners. This, in turn, can directly influence the quality of the support they provide to victims. The present study aims to explore the psychological impact of working with DV victims on these professionals while simultaneously investigating the coping mechanisms they employ. Twenty-four professionals from DV victim support in Portugal participated in this qualitative research. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study unveils that this line of work can indeed be profoundly impactful, potentially resulting in adverse outcomes such as fatigue, emotional exhaustion, frustration, and difficulties in emotional regulation. Nonetheless, the research also reveals that professionals are capable of developing coping strategies to mitigate the negative impact of their work. This study proposes a set of suggested measures that should not only be adopted by professionals but should also be smoothly incorporated into the strategies of organizations committed to supporting DV victims. Ultimately, by bolstering the welfare of DV professionals, this research strives to enhance the quality of support extended to victims and provide meaningful input for informed policymaking, improved practices, and effective training approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/9/525domestic violencemental healthprofessionalscoping strategiesqualitativepsychological impact |
| spellingShingle | Elisabete Ferreira Ana Sofia Figueiredo Anita Santos Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims Social Sciences domestic violence mental health professionals coping strategies qualitative psychological impact |
| title | Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims |
| title_full | Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims |
| title_short | Understanding the Emotional Impact and Coping Strategies of Professionals Working with Domestic Violence Victims |
| title_sort | understanding the emotional impact and coping strategies of professionals working with domestic violence victims |
| topic | domestic violence mental health professionals coping strategies qualitative psychological impact |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/9/525 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elisabeteferreira understandingtheemotionalimpactandcopingstrategiesofprofessionalsworkingwithdomesticviolencevictims AT anasofiafigueiredo understandingtheemotionalimpactandcopingstrategiesofprofessionalsworkingwithdomesticviolencevictims AT anitasantos understandingtheemotionalimpactandcopingstrategiesofprofessionalsworkingwithdomesticviolencevictims |