Activist interpreting in abortion clinics

Abstract

We present a case study of a group of activist interpreters Ciocia Wienia, a Vienna-based informal pro-choice collective. The activists facilitate abortion travel from Poland to Austria, offer onsite support and interpret in abortion clinics. We analyze original data from a corpus of 13 qualitative in-depth interviews with members and associates of Ciocia Wienia. Based on a qualitative content analysis, this contribution investigates which situations and stressors are described as emotionally challenging as well as which coping strategies and techniques of self-care and mental hygiene are employed to process burdensome emotions. Our results suggest that negative feelings such as sadness, frustration, anger, stress, and uncertainty make work in such a context emotionally taxing, even though positive emotions are reported as well. Apart from sharing with the group and supervision, only a few activists seem to have developed a set of distinct individual self-care and coping strategies.