Minimising trauma in staff at a Sexual Assault Referral Centre: what and who is needed?

Introduction: This study investigates staff’s perspectives on the characteristics required to work in a sexual assault referral centre and the support and training they believe sexual assault referral centres should provide to minimise the negative impacts of the work and provide a supportive working environment.

Methods: Semi- structured interviews were conducted with 12 staff, and a focus group was held with a further four staff of a sexual assault referral centre. The data were examined using thematic analysis.

Results: Findings indicated that to work in a in sexual assault referral centre staff need to be understanding, empathetic, non-judgemental, supportive, flexible and resilient as well as having coping skills. The support structures and processes staff reported as being essential to creating a supportive working environment and reducing vicarious trauma were: supervision; training; peer support and shadowing.

Conclusions: Working in a SARC is stressful and emotionally difficult work. This study provides valuable insights about the individual and environmental factors SARC staff believe are required to have a happy and healthy workforce delivering a gold standard of care to victim-survivors of sexual violence.