Protectors of Society: Understanding the Impact of Courtesy Stigma on the Experiences of Volunteers Working With Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offences

Abstract

Volunteers are integral to the criminal justice system. For some, this involves providing support in the community to those convicted of sexual offences, which has been found to reduce the risk of reoffending. Currently, the impact on volunteers of working within this context is not well understood, despite the significant stigmatisation of those convicted of sexual offences. This study aimed to address this gap through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, focusing on how ‘courtesy stigma’ (Goffman, 1968), a type of stigma-by-association, impacted on this experience. Eleven volunteers within one organisation were interviewed. Volunteers strongly identified with the volunteer role, and stigma served to strengthen their role identity as individuals who helped those no-one else would help. Participants also exhibited some maladaptive coping strategies and symptoms indicative of burnout. These results contribute significantly to the small body of work on volunteer role identity, stigmatisation, and the social and psychological impacts of volunteer association with a highly stigmatised population.

Helping in times of crisis: Examining the social identity and wellbeing impacts of volunteering duringCOVID‐19

“…Likewise, there is social psychological evidence that points to the benefits of volunteering for building community identity and support, which in turn enhances well‐being (Bowe et al, 2020; Gray & Stevenson, 2020). Nonetheless, it is also clear that volunteering is not always beneficial and that (particularly some types of) volunteering can lead to increased stress and burnout (e.g., see Bakker et al, 2006; Parkes, Gray, & McKeague, 2022; Snyder, Omoto, & Crain, 1999). However, much of this evidence is based on volunteering in pre‐ or non‐pandemic contexts, with evidence during COVID‐19 much more mixed (Kanemura, Chan, & Farrow, 2022).…”