Safety and Wellbeing

Primary prevention, while rewarding work, can sometimes be extremely challenging or demanding. It important that each member of your CAG understands the importance of self-care and recognising signs that you may need extra support. Included in this page are links that demonstrate the importance of self-care, as well as the importance of responding to disclosures in a supportive and helpful manner. Violence prevention initiatives raise awareness around issues of family and gender-based violence, and this often creates a safe environment that can make people feel more comfortable talking about their experiences of these forms of violence. It is essential that your CAG understands the most appropriate and supportive way to respond.

Looking After Yourself

Self-care is an effective way to manage and prevent stress and trauma escalating. Stress and trauma affects how you see yourself, others and the world. Your self-care strategies need to intersect across a variety of areas in your life. 

Wellbeing and Self Care

Working within primary prevention can be be extremely demanding work. It is normal to have both positive and negative responses to the work but it is important to understand the possible risk factors and have ways to support your wellbeing at work and in your personal life.

Vicarious Trauma and Burnout

Working within primary prevention can sometimes mean discussing or responding to complex and challenging situations. It is important for your CAG members to understand and be aware when they may be experiencing, or heading towards experiencing, vicarious trauma or burnout.

Responding to Disclosures

Violence prevention initiatives can often prompt disclosures of family violence or sexual assault. For this reason, it is important that people know how to respond when someone discloses their experiences of violence. This page covers how to provide a supportive and helpful response. 

What to do When Someone Discloses Violence or Abuse

If someone has taken the difficult step of telling you their experience of violence or abuse, it is important you respond in a supportive and appropriate way. This factsheet is to help you best support people who have disclosed their experience of violence or abuse to you.

13YARN

13YARN ‍is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line providing confidential and culturally safe crisis support 24/7. They will work with you to explore options for on-going support. 

Justice doing in community work & therapy: from ‘burnout’ to solidarity

Providing alternatives to concepts of ‘burn out’ and/or ‘vicarious trauma’, Vikki conveys how our collective Justice Doing sustains us, nourishes our hope, invites us to honour the resistance and strength we witness in the people we work alongside.