Presenter: Mollie (Leila) Kelly
Poster Description: This qualitative research study uses a phenomenological method to explore the concept of compassion fatigue as it relates to domestic violence advocacy. Through a thorough examination of the current literature the study identifies the lack of congruent use of description terms, a conflicting scope of advocacy work responsibilities as they relate to need and the inconstant understanding of how advocacy fits into the larger systems working towards domestic violence interventions. It explores the positionality of the advocate themselves and seeks to understand how the complex dynamics of gender and cultural stereotypes might have on the position of advocacy within organizations. It recognizes the gap in the literature falls within the interchanging use of words (burnout, vicarious trauma, secondary stress, and compassion fatigue), definitions and concepts. It focuses on how the positionality of the advocate within the domestic violence systems might contribute to the experience of compassion fatigue.