This research presentation explores the wellness and health of lived experience staff working in the child sexual abuse (CSA) and violence against women (VAW) sectors. Despite the well-documented risks of indirect trauma in trauma-intensive settings, limited Canadian research has examined how to effectively support the wellness of this workforce. This study addresses this gap by centering the voices and experiences of lived experience staff. Using a qualitative research design grounded in Indigenous methodology and a Two-Eyed Seeing framework, the study engaged eight lived experience staff in Manitoba through conversational interviews and focus groups. The research examines three primary questions: how lived experience staff define and experience wellness, what gaps exist in current supports, and what strategies effectively promote their well-being. Findings reveal that wellness is a holistic, relational, and ongoing process shaped by psychological safety, belonging, financial stability, and workplace identity. Participants identified significant challenges, including indirect trauma, caregiving stress, lateral violence, and systemic inequities rooted in colonial and neoliberal structures. The study highlights multi-level strategies to support wellness, including culturally grounded practices, trauma-informed leadership, peer support systems, and organizational and policy reform. The findings emphasize that wellness cannot be addressed through individual strategies alone but requires systemic transformation. This presentation concludes with implications for practice, policy, and research, calling for the integration of lived experience knowledge and culturally responsive approaches to support this essential workforce.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Mimi “Shamin” Brown is a researcher with lived experience in the child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and violence against women sectors. Her work centers Indigenous and feminist methodologies, trauma-informed practice, and lived experience leadership, with a focus on wellness, resilience, and systemic change for frontline staff supporting survivors of gender-based violence.