Written By
Rachelle McCabe
College
College of Arts, Society and Education
Publish Date
10 July 2024
Related Study Areas
Exploring the strength and strategies of social workers
As an experienced social worker, JCU Master of Philosophy Student Kat Buchta has seen the devastation and on-going trauma caused by domestic and family violence (DFV) as part of her job.
Please be advised that this story describes graphic scenes of domestic violence, which may be distressing.
People who have experienced domestic violence come from all walks of life and all fields of work, but Kat wants to reach out to Queensland social workers who have experienced domestic violence in their personal lives.
She is seeking to interview female social workers who have a bachelor’s or master’s level social work degree and are willing to share their previous domestic violence experiences.
These interviews will form part of Kat’s research thesis which seeks to explore the impacts of domestic and family violence on social workers, and uncover the strengths and strategies used by them to cope at the time. The research will also examine what barriers social workers may have encountered whilst experiencing domestic violence.
“Working as a social worker for many years has made me very aware that domestic violence can affect anyone from any background, but it affects women and children disproportionately,” she says.
Flexibility is the key to pursuing further study
Kat completed her Bachelor of Social Work at JCU after graduating high school and says it was a desire to make a difference in peoples’ lives that led her to pursue this field of work.
“I appreciate that having a Bachelor of Social Work allows me to work in so many different areas with different people. One of the reasons I chose to study at JCU was because of the versatility of the course as well as the experience and expertise of my lecturers,” she says.
“I loved learning from passionate and knowledgeable lecturers in an encouraging environment with like-minded peers.”
Kat’s social work degree has enabled her to work across a broad spectrum, supporting people experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence, and sexual assault. She also lived and worked in the USA as a social worker in the mental health and disability fields.
“I have always been a keen learner and always wanted to do further study at some point, but I wasn’t sure what that might look like,” Kat says.
“Becoming a mum actually spurred me on to complete further study to show my daughter that she can achieve anything if she works hard. I decided to complete a Masters of Philosophy because it allowed me flexibility in my busy schedule. I can look after my daughter, work part-time and tailor my study to the nights and days that work for me and my family.
“I never imagined I would be able to undertake my own research study, but the support at JCU – from my advisors, peers and supporting staff – has been amazing.”
Juggling work at The Women’s Centre, her role as a mum, as well as study commitments, Kat says she is in a big learning phase, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sharing stories to improve outcomes
Kat says she’s been interested in finding out more about the DFV experiences of social workers for many years. She says the lived experience of social workers who were also domestic violence victims had been largely understudied to date, although it was a growing field of research.
“I hope my research will allow victim-survivors, who are social workers, a chance to share their stories. I hope my work will further our understanding and knowledgebase of domestic and family violence in Australia,” Kat says.
“Years of experience working with victims of domestic and family violence means I’m attuned to the subtle signs and nuances that can indicate a person had been a victim of violence. It was actually quite early on in my career when I was working with a colleague who gave off some very subtle signs that she had a lived domestic violence experience.
“The colleague indicated they were struggling to manage their personal experience while conducting social work. It really got me thinking: where do social workers go for support? It can be a small industry, especially if you are working regionally. How do you get the support you need and maintain your confidentiality?”
Kat says she suspects a percentage of female social workers are domestic violence survivors and she hopes her research will capture information about their experiences as there was limited published research focusing on female social workers to date.
A comprehensive 2018 study of female health professionals in Australia found an alarming 45 per cent had experienced violence from a partner or family member during their lifetime. But Kat says the social work sector has been understudied in this research.
“I’m only at the beginning of my research, so this is just my own assumption at the moment, but my feeling is that there is additional pressure to keep experiences of domestic and family violence under wraps when you work in this field,” Kat says.
"I hope my research will allow victim-survivors, who are social workers, a chance to share their stories. I hope my work will further our understanding and knowledgebase of domestic and family violence in Australia.”
JCU Master of Philosophy Student Kat Buchta
JCU is committed to providing a learning and working environment that is safe and supportive of staff and students who may be experiencing the effects of domestic or family violence. A range of staff and student support services are available, including personal support, and safety and wellbeing. Help for those in the wider community can also be found at Lifeline 13 11 14 and 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732.