The Hidden Costs of Working for Justice

Today–on World Day for International Justice–we honor the global pursuit of justice for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. But behind every case, every investigation, and every courtroom milestone, there are professionals bearing witness to immense suffering — and carrying heavy emotional and psychological burdens.

At The KonTerra Group, we have conducted a number of staff care assessments for professionals monitoring war crimes and other gross human rights violations. In this article we discuss some of the findings from one of these assessments that highlight patterns we see across many justice-focused and trauma-facing organizations.

The findings were sobering — but not surprising.

👉 Over one-third of staff reported high to extreme stress.
👉 Nearly 40% of those most exposed to human rights violations met criteria for moral distress or moral injury.
👉 Many described powerlessness, betrayal, and disillusionment — not only from what they witnessed, but from the systems they worked within.

On this International Justice Day, we’re sharing reflections on what we learned — and what organizations can do to better protect the people doing this vital work.

Read the full article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hidden-costs-working-justice-the-konterra-group-nvotc/

Let’s make justice work sustainable — not just for victims, but for those who help deliver it.