What is Vicarious Trauma?
Understanding the Emotional Impact of Supporting Survivors
Vicarious trauma is not always something people talk about openly, yet it is deeply present in spaces where care, support, and empathy are at the center of the work. It is the emotional and psychological impact that comes from hearing, witnessing, or holding the trauma of others.
Unlike trauma that comes from direct experience, vicarious trauma happens indirectly. It develops over time, often through repeated exposure to the stories, emotions, and realities of people who have experienced violence.
It is sometimes described as “the cost of caring” because it is rooted in empathy. The same ability that allows someone to support survivors with compassion can also make them more vulnerable to absorbing the emotional weight of those experiences.
Vicarious trauma does not only affect professionals like counsellors, social workers, or first responders. It can also affect anyone who supports a survivor, including friends, family members, or community members who are present when someone shares their experience.
Over time, this exposure can begin to shift how a person feels, thinks, and moves through the world. People experiencing vicarious trauma may feel emotionally overwhelmed, exhausted, or numb. They may struggle with intrusive thoughts, difficulty sleeping, or a sense of hopelessness.
In some cases, it can even begin to affect how someone sees themselves, others, and the world around them. This is because trauma, even when experienced indirectly, has the power to reshape a person’s sense of safety, trust, and meaning.
Research has shown that this is not uncommon. In one study, a large number of social service workers reported experiencing vicarious trauma as a result of their work, highlighting how widespread and often unspoken this experience is.
It is important to understand that vicarious trauma is not a sign of weakness. It is a human response to repeated exposure to pain, injustice, and violence. It reflects care, empathy, and the willingness to stand alongside others in difficult moments.
At the same time, it reminds us that supporting others can carry its own emotional weight. Those who hold space for survivors also need spaces where they can process, reflect, and be supported themselves.
At Rape Crisis, this understanding is central to how we work. Supporting survivors requires not only care for those who come to us, but also care for the people doing the work every day. Creating safe, supportive, and reflective spaces for staff and volunteers is part of ensuring that survivors continue to receive consistent, compassionate, and survivor-centered care.
Vicarious trauma also speaks to something bigger. It reminds us that sexual violence does not only affect individuals. Its impact extends into families, communities, and the systems that respond to it. When we begin to understand this, we also begin to understand why collective care, awareness, and responsibility matter.
If you are supporting someone who has experienced sexual violence, it is important to remember that you do not have to carry that weight alone. Reaching out, setting boundaries, and seeking support are all part of sustaining care, both for yourself and for others.
If you can’t speak to anyone, speak to us:
English: 021 447 9762
isiXhosa: 021 361 9085
Afrikaans: 021 633 9229
WhatsApp (weekdays): 083 222 5164
Written by
Jameelah Ebrahim
