Trauma, Depression and Burnout in the Human Rights Field: Identifying Barriers and Pathways to Resilient Advocacy

Sarah Knuckey, Meg Satterthwaite, Adam Brown, Columbia Human Rights Law Review 49.3.1 267- 323 (2018)

This study draws on findings from a cross-sectional internet based survey tailored for the human rights community, which sheds light on a number of occupational and individual processes – including trauma exposure, coping flexibility, perfectionisms, which are associated with mental health outcomes among human rights advocates. It concludes with recommendations for a future research and action agenda, including the need more dedicated research on how human rights organizations respond to mental health concerns, longitudinal research with human rights movements and organizations, studying low-cost, non stigmatizing interventions, and overall building a community of practice which can advance opportunities for wellbeing and resilience among advocates.