Satisfaction with role
75% of the specialist family violence response workforce indicated that they were satisfied in their current role, and 66% felt that their work makes a significant difference to people affected by family violence.1
75% of the primary prevention workforce also reported being satisfied in their current role, and 45% felt that their work makes a significant difference to those affected by family violence.2
Workplace stressors
Work-related stress is an important consideration when exploring the health and wellbeing of staff, and there are various elements of an individual’s role that may contribute to such stress. Overall:
- 78% of the specialist family violence response workforce reported that they experienced at least moderate work-related stress, and 33% experienced high, very high or severe levels;
- 76% of the primary prevention workforce indicated that they experienced at least moderate work-related stress, and 31% experienced high, very high or severe levels; and
- 78% of the broader workforce (aggregate) experienced at least moderate work-related stress, and 32% experienced high, very high or severe levels.
Table 9 illustrates the top three causes of work-related stress amongst each workforce.
| Workforce | #1 Cause of workplace stress | #2 Cause of workplace stress | #3 Cause of workplace stress |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Specialist family violence response (n=482) |
High volume of work / high demands of their role (84%) | Poor management or organisational issues (48%) | Vicarious trauma (43%) |
|
Primary prevention (n=142) |
High volume of work / high demands of their role (76%) | Poor management or organisational issues (61%) | Staff turnover (41%) |
|
Broader workforce aggregate (n=790) |
High volume of work / high demands of their role (83%) | Poor management or organisational issues (43%) | Vicarious trauma (38%) |
*Percentages are based out of those who had experienced at least ‘high’ levels of work-related stress.
Across the various sub-groups within the broader workforce, most cited the same top three causes of workplace stress as the aggregate (see Table 9), though there were some differences to note:
- Education workers cited ‘external pressures’ as their third cause (in addition to high volume of work / demands and poor management or organisational issues).
- Maternal and child health and settlement services cited ‘staff turnover’ (after high volume of work / demands and poor management or organisational issues).
Support for negative encounters
Vicarious trauma amongst specialists
As outlined earlier, although high volume of work and poor management were the most cited causes of workplace stress, 27-43% of those who experienced at least high levels of stress across each workforce also mentioned vicarious trauma.
59% of the specialist family violence response workforce understood that their organisation had processes or policies and procedures in place to recognise and manage vicarious trauma.3
Of these individuals:
- 35% felt that these measures were very or extremely effective in assisting them to recognise that they are experiencing vicarious trauma4; and
- 31% felt that these measures were very or extremely effective in assisting them to manage vicarious trauma.5
Backlash / resistance as an issue amongst primary prevention and broader workforces
Similarly, given the unique type of work that the primary prevention and broader workforces undertake, backlash / resistance6 is a particularly important factor to consider when exploring workplace stress amongst these audiences.
22% of the primary prevention workforce reported that they often or always experience backlash or resistance in undertaking their work.7
Additionally:
- 64% reported that they have access to support if they encounter resistance or backlash in their work and 80% indicated that they have access to support if they encounter cases of family violence or disclosures in their work.8; and
- Of those who had access to such support, 55% felt it was very or extremely effective overall.9
Overall, just 9% of the aggregate broader workforce reported that they often or always experience backlash or resistance in undertaking their work.10 Results for each sub-group under the broader workforce are also presented in Table 10 below.
|
Broader workforce sub-group |
Experience backlash / resistance often or always |
Access to support - if encounter cases of FV or disclosures (% Yes) |
Access to support - if encounter resistance or backlash (% Yes) |
Support provided is very / extremely effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alcohol and Drug services (n=153-188) |
10% |
95% |
56% |
61% |
|
Ambulance services (n=76-136) |
10% |
88% |
45% |
53% |
|
Broader community services (n=954-1,324) |
10% |
91% |
55% |
61% |
|
Children, Families and Child Protection (n=280-362) |
11% |
94% |
58% |
64% |
|
Community Health Services (n=211-292) |
9% |
93% |
52% |
61% |
|
Community Mental Health Services (n=124-184) |
11% |
88% |
46% |
60% |
|
Court Services (n=41-98) |
6% |
79% |
49% |
44% |
|
Disability Services (n=68-111) |
10% |
85% |
46% |
40% |
|
Education (n=155-244) |
10% |
87% |
53% |
52% |
|
Housing and Homelessness (n=115-160) |
9% |
91% |
55% |
63% |
|
Justice (n=45-95) |
14% |
82% |
46% |
42% |
|
Legal Services (n=49-81) |
14% |
88% |
55% |
61% |
|
Maternal and Child Health (n=101-115) |
4% |
97% |
56% |
61% |
|
Other Community Services (n=174-256) |
9% |
88% |
56% |
63% |
|
Public health (n=314-499) |
10% |
91% |
52% |
58% |
|
Settlement Services (n=33-45) |
7% |
86% |
52% |
52% |
| Youth Work (n=74-104) | 8% | 92% | 59% | 49% |
Note: Police were not asked this section of the survey.
Footnotes
- Q66. Overall, how satisfied are you in your current role in the specialist family violence response workforce? (n=1,406). Q67. How much difference do you think your work makes to people affected by family violence? (n=1,352)
- Q66. Overall, how satisfied are you in your current role in the primary prevention workforce? (n=442). Q67. How much difference do you think your work makes to people affected by family violence? (n397)
- Q58. Does your organisation have processes in place or policies and procedures to recognise and manage vicarious trauma? (n=1,436)
- Q59. Overall, how effective are these processes, policies and / or procedures in assisting you to recognise that you are experiencing vicarious trauma? (n=744)
- Q60. Overall, how effective are these processes, policies and / or procedures in assisting you to manage vicarious trauma? (n=731)
- Backlash and resistance refer to any form of resistance toward gender equality.
- Q61. In your role, how often do you experience resistance or backlash in undertaking your work? (n=454)
- Q63. Do you have access to support to assist you if you encounter cases of family violence or disclosures, or resistance or backlash in your work? (n=400)
- Q64. Overall, how effective is this support? (n=276)
- Q61. In your role, how often do you experience resistance or backlash in undertaking your work? (n=2,424)
Updated