'It's a love-hate relationship': female crown prosecutors' experiences of prosecuting sexual violence and abuse cases

This study used interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to examine six female New Zealand Crown prosecutors' (CPs') experiences of working with adult and child sexual violence and abuse (SVA) cases. Three themes were developed from the data: navigating the emotional and legal aspects of the role without a compass, the impacts of working with potentially traumatic material, and factors influencing wellbeing and help seeking. Working with SVA cases was viewed as rewarding by participants; however, exposure to sexual trauma was perceived to exacerbate occupational stressors and impacts of working with potentially traumatic material. A lack of training on interpersonal and emotional management skills and how to appropriately work with complainants of SVA were considered to exacerbate these stressors. Workplace culture, attitudes towards wellbeing and organisational support either alleviated or exacerbated occupational stressors and their impacts. Policy and practice to support female CPs working with SVA cases is urgently required.