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TABLE OF CONTENT
The Lived Experiences of Practitioners Supporting Survivors of Domestic Page 3
Violence: Challenges, Roles, and Resource Needs
Accessing Help, Facing Harm: A Qualitative Study of LGBTQIA+ Youth Page 14
Experiences Seeking Support from Social Workers
, The Lived Experiences of Practitioners Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence: Challenges,
Roles, and Resource Needs
Abstract
This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of five practitioners who work directly with
survivors of domestic violence (DV) in a community-based support organisation in Gauteng, South
Africa. Framed within the theoretical lens of the Empowerment Theory and Compassion Fatigue
Theory, the research addresses five thematic areas: participants’ experiences working with DV
survivors, challenges encountered, perceptions of their role in recovery and empowerment,
significantly impactful situations, and perceived resource needs. Using a descriptive
phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of
five practitioners. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed that practitioners
experience deep emotional rewards but also vicarious trauma. Key challenges included systemic
resource scarcity, interagency fragmentation, and survivor non-adherence. Participants viewed their
role as facilitators of agency rather than rescuers, emphasising safety planning and survivor-led
decision-making. Impactful situations included breakthrough moments and cases of severe betrayal
or death. Practitioners identified long-term housing, psychological services for survivors and
themselves, and coordinated legal responses as the most critical unmet needs. The findings
underscore the necessity of sustainable funding, practitioner self-care protocols, and integrated DV
service models. Ethical protocols were strictly followed to ensure confidentiality and informed
consent.
1.1 Introduction
Domestic violence (DV) remains a pervasive global public health and human rights issue, affecting
millions of women, children, and men across all socioeconomic and cultural contexts (World Health
Organization, 2021). In South Africa, rates of intimate partner violence are among the highest
globally, with approximately one in five women having experienced physical violence from a partner
(StatsSA, 2020). The immediate physical injuries of DV are often visible, but the psychological,
emotional, and economic sequelae can be lifelong, requiring sustained, multi-dimensional support.
While a significant body of research has focused on the experiences of survivors themselves, far less
attention has been paid to the practitioners who provide frontline support. These
professionals—social workers, counsellors, crisis hotline operators, and shelter staff—operate in
emotionally demanding environments, often with limited resources and high caseloads (Herman,
2015). Understanding their experiences is not merely an academic exercise; it is critical for
improving staff retention, preventing burnout, and ultimately enhancing the quality of services
delivered to survivors. This study, therefore, centres on the narratives of DV practitioners, examining
the rewards, challenges, and moral complexities of their work as they navigate the fragile process of
survivor recovery and empowerment.
TABLE OF CONTENT
The Lived Experiences of Practitioners Supporting Survivors of Domestic Page 3
Violence: Challenges, Roles, and Resource Needs
Accessing Help, Facing Harm: A Qualitative Study of LGBTQIA+ Youth Page 14
Experiences Seeking Support from Social Workers
, The Lived Experiences of Practitioners Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence: Challenges,
Roles, and Resource Needs
Abstract
This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of five practitioners who work directly with
survivors of domestic violence (DV) in a community-based support organisation in Gauteng, South
Africa. Framed within the theoretical lens of the Empowerment Theory and Compassion Fatigue
Theory, the research addresses five thematic areas: participants’ experiences working with DV
survivors, challenges encountered, perceptions of their role in recovery and empowerment,
significantly impactful situations, and perceived resource needs. Using a descriptive
phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of
five practitioners. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed that practitioners
experience deep emotional rewards but also vicarious trauma. Key challenges included systemic
resource scarcity, interagency fragmentation, and survivor non-adherence. Participants viewed their
role as facilitators of agency rather than rescuers, emphasising safety planning and survivor-led
decision-making. Impactful situations included breakthrough moments and cases of severe betrayal
or death. Practitioners identified long-term housing, psychological services for survivors and
themselves, and coordinated legal responses as the most critical unmet needs. The findings
underscore the necessity of sustainable funding, practitioner self-care protocols, and integrated DV
service models. Ethical protocols were strictly followed to ensure confidentiality and informed
consent.
1.1 Introduction
Domestic violence (DV) remains a pervasive global public health and human rights issue, affecting
millions of women, children, and men across all socioeconomic and cultural contexts (World Health
Organization, 2021). In South Africa, rates of intimate partner violence are among the highest
globally, with approximately one in five women having experienced physical violence from a partner
(StatsSA, 2020). The immediate physical injuries of DV are often visible, but the psychological,
emotional, and economic sequelae can be lifelong, requiring sustained, multi-dimensional support.
While a significant body of research has focused on the experiences of survivors themselves, far less
attention has been paid to the practitioners who provide frontline support. These
professionals—social workers, counsellors, crisis hotline operators, and shelter staff—operate in
emotionally demanding environments, often with limited resources and high caseloads (Herman,
2015). Understanding their experiences is not merely an academic exercise; it is critical for
improving staff retention, preventing burnout, and ultimately enhancing the quality of services
delivered to survivors. This study, therefore, centres on the narratives of DV practitioners, examining
the rewards, challenges, and moral complexities of their work as they navigate the fragile process of
survivor recovery and empowerment.
