Dalhousie University released new research which found that the mental health of staff supporting women experiencing violence suffered during the pandemic due to increased demand and the need to adapt service delivery in response to public health mandates. Workers also reported vicarious trauma, anxiety and depression during this time. The mixed-methods study included quantitative survey data on the mental health of 127 violence against women organization staff in the Greater Toronto Area throughout 2021. Interviews with 18 staff were conducted to support the interpretation of the data and enrich the quantitative findings regarding the mental health of staff. The study was co-led by Dr. Alexa Yakubovich and Priya Shastri in partnership with violence against women organizations and women with lived experience of violence. The research, led by postdoctoral fellow Dr. Bridget Steele, found that 81% of leadership and 61% of direct support staff indicated their work was more distressing during the pandemic, which saw higher rates of violence against women. The researchers at Dalhousie University linked the increase in distress to challenges related to changing work environments, feelings that they were not meeting client needs, and difficulties in adapting self-care strategies. 

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