A Multiple Case Study of Rape Victim Advocates' Self‐Care Routines: The Influence of Organizational Context

• Published in: American journal of community psychology 2002-10, Vol.30 (5), p.731-760
• Main Authors: Wasco, Sharon M., Campbell, Rebecca, Clark, Marcia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Advocacy; Biological and medical sciences; Case studies; Community Health Services - manpower; Community Health Services - organization & administration; Community Organizations; context; Coping; Coping strategies; Counseling; Counsellors; Crisis centres; Crisis Intervention - manpower; Directive Counseling - manpower; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Illness and personality; Illness, stress and coping; Male; Middle Aged; multiple case study; Occupational Health; Organizational behavior; Organizational Case Studies; Organizational Culture; organizational support; Patient Advocacy; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Qualitative Research; Rape; Rape - psychology; Rape - rehabilitation; rape victim advocates; Self Care; Self Care - methods; Self Care - psychology; Selfcare; Sexual Assault; Social services; United States; USA; Victims; Victims of crime
• ISSN: 0091-0562; 1573-2770
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1016377416597

This study assumes that rape victim advocates who provide community outreach services to victimized women must adjust to a heightened awareness of sexual violence to do their jobs. Using qualitative methodology, this multiple case study explored rape victim advocates' strategies for incorporating repeated exposure to sexual assault into their daily lives as well as ways that organizations can support such endeavors. Findings suggest that advocates' self‐care routines draw upon various personal resources (i.e., cognitive, physical, social, spiritual, verbal), and serve 2 roles for coping with rape‐related pain: (a) cathartic releasing of traumatic material, and (b) improving capacity to integrate the traumatic material into one's life. Additionally, over 20 organizational characteristics that workers perceive to be supportive (e.g., weekly meetings, flexible hours) were identified. Nonparametric and categorical statistical analyses were used to analyze the relationship between organizational support and self‐care routines, finding that advocates working in organizations with higher levels of support utilize more strategies that are integrative in nature. Implications of these findings are discussed.