Abstract
M.A.
Violence in South Africa has reached epidemic proportions. Violence against
women is one area in which this social undercurrent continuously plays itself out.
People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and Rape Crisis, Cape Town (RCCT)
are two organizations that use lay counsellors to focus specifically on counselling
women who have endured rape and domestic violence. Burnout is widely
recognized as a consequence of this helping profession.
This quantitative study comprised of 26 female counsellors from POWA and
RCCT, who completed questionnaires that included demographic data, the
Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure levels of burnout and personal
accomplishment, and the COPE that measures different coping styles. The
statistical analysis used was Pearson's correlation t-tests and Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA).
Results showed that this small sample group do not feel burned out, but rather
have a sense of personal accomplishment. The counsellors listed eleven of the
fourteen coping styles suggested as useful, and five of these appeared
significantly so. Certain differences in coping techniques became apparent when
analysed according to demographic data. Limitations of the study and
recommendations for future research are also discussed.