ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses issues around the occurrence of vicarious trauma based on empirically collected data reporting on field experiences. It presents a research conducted in South Africa to explore young people's experiences of growing up without a father. The chapter highlights that participant's observed distress may transfer vicarious trauma to the field-worker. The chapter also describes signs of possible vicarious trauma experienced by field-workers and cautions about the potential impact of vicarious trauma on field-workers. This chapter provides a detailed discussion of the emotional responses by field-workers during the data collection process in two South African provinces. It discusses the three themes that capture the emotional and psychological experiences of field-workers. The themes include: i) participants' observed distress and potential for vicarious trauma in field-workers, ii) signs of possible vicarious trauma experienced by field-workers and iii) the potential impact of vicarious trauma on fieldwork and the interviews.
