NCJ Number
113361
Journal
Response Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (1987) Pages: 9-13
Date Published
1987
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Based on interviews with volunteer victim advocates from the Gateway Battered Women's Shelter (GBWS) in Aurora, Colo., this study provides information to help similar programs identify sources of workers' stress and modify their operations to decrease staff burnout.
Abstract
The GBWS provides assistance to women victims of domestic violence who are attempting to break the cycle of violence and obtain due process in the courts. Some reported sources of worker stress are insufficient time to accomplish tasks, too much paper work, shifts in activities from victim advocacy to case processing, inadequate or misleading police case reports, and conflicts and disagreements with the courts. The GBWS has developed guidelines for preventing worker burnout resulting from stress. Organizational considerations are the selection of workers with a history of dealing with stress, the inclusion of stress identification and reduction in personnel training, the planning of work schedules to reduce overload, access to the project coordinator, and the provision of group support opportunities. Personal guidelines for workers include awareness of stress and its effects, acknowledgement of limitations, the use of relaxation techniques, avoidance of tasks for which proper training has not been received, proper diet, and participation in spiritual and emotional development programs. 10 references.