Reports highlight staff burnouts in women’s shelters, violence against women

On this International Women’s Day two separate reports — one national and one local — show the struggles many women are up against, particularly those working in the shelter system.

“The residual sort of impacts of COVID and having to deal with the trauma coming out from that,” explained ANOVA London Executive Director Jessie Rodgers.

She was reflecting the report the ‘Feminist Brain Drain’ from Women’s Shelters Canada. It found sparse, inadequate funding is driving a burnout crisis among staff at women's shelters and transition homes across the country.

“We weren’t able to deliver as much service as we needed [during COVID], so now we’re seeing survivors who waited longer, and whose trauma is just way more impactful,” said Rodgers.

The report surveyed 300 employees at shelters and transition houses across Canada. Among its key findings, 28 per cent have thought about quitting their job, 79 per cent have experienced trauma, either personally or professionally, and 31 per cent have often felt overwhelmed by their caseload.

Further, the report found the level of compensation in the field makes it difficult to hang on to employees. Approximately two-thirds of respondents in non-managerial roles reported making less than $50,000 per year, while approximately one-third of respondents have at least one more job just to make ends meet.

A women's shelter is seen in this undated file image. (File)

Report co-author Robyn Hoogendam of Women’s Shelters Canada said this has a de-stabilizing effect.

“Organizations are under-funded and they’re not seeing increases that align with cost of living and with inflation, so they’re not able to increase salaries. Individuals are going to other places that are able to pay them more competitive salaries,” said Hoogendam.

She added that many who enter the field see it as a training ground to be able to move on to higher paying positions, particularly within government.

Meanwhile, the London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse has released its snapshot for 2023. It said that in Ontario last year, 62 women and girls were killed by men who claimed to care for them.

“I think what it’s telling us is that the issue is not getting better, it’s getting worse, and we’re being asked to respond, and we’re going to need everybody’s support to be able to answer the call,” said Rodgers, who co-chairs the committee.

The snapshot also points to July 25, 2023, when the City of London officially declared intimate partner violence and femicide an epidemic.