Self/Community Care

Advocates for survivors of violence in a legal setting face many harrowing challenges and frustrations. It is difficult to see the impact of violence, watch survivors struggle with poverty, lack of resources, and isolation. Working in the court setting can also cause advocates to feel powerless at times. How can advocates remain healthy in this context, especially during Covid-19 isolation?  Many of us have been told to breathe or take a bath when we are stressed out, but these can feel like tiny solutions to a larger problem. This session will help advocates envision what it would look like to work towards sustainable, healthy advocacy and work to create meaningful, evidence informed strategies to reduce the impact of secondary trauma even while socially isolating. The workshop will also explore how organizations can increase meaningful support and shift policies and procedures to increase advocate sustainability and will address the impact of power and cultural practice in “self-care”. Attendees will work with peers to create two personalized healthy advocacy calls to action. Faculty: Katie VonDeLinde; Sarah Khan, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence Audience: Non-attorney legal advocates

Advocates for survivors of violence in a legal setting face many harrowing challenges and frustrations. It is difficult to see the impact of violence, watch survivors struggle with poverty, lack of resources, and isolation. Working in the court setting can also cause advocates to feel powerless at times. How can advocates remain healthy in this context, especially during Covid-19 isolation?  Many of us have been told to breathe or take a bath when we are stressed out, but these can feel like tiny solutions to a larger problem. This session will help advocates envision what it would look like to work towards sustainable, healthy advocacy and work to create meaningful, evidence informed strategies to reduce the impact of secondary trauma even while socially isolating. The workshop will also explore how organizations can increase meaningful support and shift policies and procedures to increase advocate sustainability and will address the impact of power and cultural practice in “self-care”. Attendees will work with peers to create two personalized healthy advocacy calls to action. Faculty: Katie VonDeLinde; Sarah Khan, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence Audience: Non-attorney legal advocates