The Effect of Caring for Trafficked Survivors. An Exploration of Staff Wellbeing within an Anti-Human Trafficking Non-Profit Organisation in South Africa.

Abstract

Human trafficking is recognised as a global phenomenon; however, despite its prevalence, research exploring the wellbeing of staff working in the emotionally demanding field of anti-human trafficking has been limited. This study explored how organisational support, self-care strategies and intrinsic reward support staff wellbeing within an anti-human trafficking non-profit in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven staff members, and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five overarching themes were identified: (1) called and purposed; (2) relational dynamics and teamwork; (3) emotional labour and resilience; (4) sustaining the self; and (5) spiritual providence. Participants emphasised the importance of intrinsic reward, external validation, collective solidarity, and the use of internal and external resources to sustain wellbeing and buffer the emotional strain of their work. Furthermore, faith emerged as a significant source of personal and collective resilience. This study highlighted that staff wellbeing extends beyond the individual or organisational factors, and towards relational, cultural and spiritual dimensions. It was concluded that to effectively support professionals working with traumatised and vulnerable populations, such as trafficked survivors, a holistic framework is required – one that incorporates social, cultural and faith-based domains.

Awarding Institution(s)

University of Plymouth

Supervisor

Steve Minton

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2025

Embargo Period

2027-09-28

Deposit Date

September 2025

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

This document is currently not available here.

This item is under embargo until 28 September 2027

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