We Deserve Better Project
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wdbproject.bsky.social
We Deserve Better Project
@wdbproject.bsky.social
26 followers 3 following 37 posts
We are a group of anti-violence workers who are committed to creating better working conditions that mutually benefit survivors and advocates.
https://bio.link/wdbproject
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wdbproject.bsky.social
Episode 6 is here! 🎙️ What does setting boundaries actually mean and why is it so hard? Steph is joined by Lauren R. Taylor to unpack the challenges of boundary-setting, from internalized barriers to fear of retaliation. Listen on Substack (link in bio) or your fave podcast app! #WeDeserveBetter
January 5, 2026 at 5:15 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
We can’t end violence without addressing its root causes. Advocates are calling for prevention funding, anti-oppressive practices, deeper training, and systems change—not an endless crisis-response cycle. 📊Learn more about our assessment & key findings at the link in our bio. #WeDeserveBetter
December 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Would you like to be a guest on the We Deserve Better Project's 'RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Work' podcast?

If you’re interested, send an email with the subject line “podcast” to wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com.
December 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Survivors deserve more than being “included.” Survivors must be centered, compensated, and given real power in decision-making—not exploited for labor or stories. 📊Learn more about our assessment & key findings at the link in our bio. #WeDeserveBetter
December 16, 2025 at 8:25 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Anti-violence workers are very familiar with the Power & Control Wheel. But did you know there is a Workplace version? Read our post for some examples & follow along for additional information and tools for worker power. Email wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com to get involved! #WorkerPowerWednesday
December 10, 2025 at 8:52 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Talk It Out Together is back next week on Tuesday, December 16 ✨ Join us this month for end of year reflections.
TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. 🔗 Register now at the link in our bio. #advocates #antiviolence
December 8, 2025 at 5:32 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Episode 5 is here! 🎙️Steph and Megan explore how reading and writing practices for advocates can be used as a tool to prevent and combat compassion fatigue, especially when implemented organizationally and on agency time. Listen on Substack (link in bio) or your fave podcast app! #WeDeserveBetter
December 1, 2025 at 5:40 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Advocates are saying it plainly: the old ways aren’t working. Survivors deserve new, community-rooted, non-carceral approaches—and advocates won’t stay in jobs that won’t evolve. 📊Learn more about our assessment & key findings at the link in our bio. #WeDeserveBetter
We Deserve Better Project 2023 Assessment; Key Finding #6: Advocates are adamant that traditional methods are no longer working and that survivors deserve new and innovative services. Learn more at wedeservebetter.work/key-findings Innovation is needed: 52% of anti-violence workers identified “lack of viable alternatives for clients and survivors” as a challenge or reason they left their job; 43% of advocates said “opportunities to innovate” would make them more likely to stay; “Antiquated ways of running local programs, coalitions, and national projects have to change. Look at concepts like transformative justice, prevention through liberation, prioritizing an anti-racism lens on all things, etc. This is where we need to find our direction for moving this work forward if we want this work to live on and actually be responsive to the needs of the most marginalized (and therefore benefiting everyone)." - Advocate from Pennsylvania Move away from carceral systems: “Anti-violence as a field is still rooted in the criminal justice system and that system is traumatizing to work in and send survivors to.” - Advocate from Ohio; This is an even more important point when we recognize that so many advocates are survivors themselves. "[There is] Inconsistency among the community with regard to how anti violence systems “should” work. Often times law enforcement is not trained on trauma informed procedures for dealing with anti violence cases. They may often become part of the problem by not believing a survivor when called out to a scene."- Advocate from Pennsylvania Meeting Basic Needs: Anti-violence workers shared desires to provide additional holistic services to meet basic needs to provide space for healing. “In many cases, there is no real justice for survivors. We need to help our communities meet their basic needs—food, housing, transportation, healthcare, and relationship-building.” - Advocate from Wisconsin; Advocates would also like to see more culturally-specific and inclusive services for people with disabilities. “[We need] more no-strings-attached funding for survivor needs, housing that is disabled accessible, and open to care attendants and interpreters.” - Advocate from Virginia
November 19, 2025 at 10:14 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Talk It Out Together is back next week on Tuesday, November 18 ✨ This month we’ll discuss grief and loss in the anti-violence field.

TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. 🔗 Register now at the link in our bio. #advocates #antiviolence
Join us on November 18 from 4:30 - 6 pm ET. Talk It Out Together: This month we’ll discuss grief & loss in the anti-violence field. What are you grieving? Where do you store grief in your body? How is your grief showing up? Is burnout a form / manifestation of grief? If so, what would healing look like when burnout is tied to grief? How can organizations recognize & repair when burnout may actually be rooted in unacknowledged grief (personal or collective)?
November 11, 2025 at 5:27 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Episode 4 is here! 🎙️Steph talks with Kayla DeCant about what it takes to fund anti-violence work. They dive into creative strategies, transparency, and staying grounded in your values—especially in times like these. Listen on Substack (link in bio) or your fave podcast app! #WeDeserveBetter
New Episode of the RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Podcast, brought to you by the We Deserve Better Project; Episode 4: Fearless Funding in Tumultuous Times; Audio clip starting at 38:06
November 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
#WorkerPowerWednesday Affirmations!

If working with survivors is your passion–you deserve to have the support you need to continue doing that. #Unionizing or collective action can be the tool to build the workplaces we need.

To join us, reach out at wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com!
Affirmations for Anti-Violence Workers: You deserve a liveable wage. You deserve safe working conditions. You deserve transparency. You deserve time for self-care. You deserve to have your voice heard. An illustration of a person holding a megaphone is next to the affirmations.
October 22, 2025 at 5:25 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Talk It Out Together is back on Tuesday, October 21 ✨ This month we’ll discuss harm reduction for advocates in the anti-violence field.

TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. 🔗 Register now at the link in our bio. #advocates #antiviolence
October 14, 2025 at 3:22 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Episode 3 is here! Steph and Jess H, a former anti-violence worker and current mental health therapist, examine how “self-care” rhetoric can mask systemic harm and exploit workers. Listen on Substack (link in bio) or your fave podcast app! #WeDeserveBetter
New Episode of the RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Podcast, brought to you by the We Deserve Better Project; Episode 3: Self-Care or Staff Exploitation? Audio clip starting at 37:33
October 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Our 2023 Assessment shows that leadership at anti-violence orgs often replicate the same toxic power dynamics this movement is meant to end. Advocates deserve better—and so do survivors. 📊Learn more about our assessment & key findings at the link in our bio. #WeDeserveBetterProject
Slide 1: We Deserve Better Project 2023 Assessment; Key Finding #5: Leadership at anti-violence organizations often replicate the same toxic, abusive, and violent environments and power dynamics that this movement aims to prevent. Learn more at wedeservebetter.work/key-findings Slide 2: Replicating Patterns of Abuse: "There seems to be a particular dynamic in the anti-violence field where the workplaces themselves harm workers in ways that resemble the abuses and harms we respond to in our communities." - Advocate from Ohio; Graphic of Workplace Power & Control Wheel Slide 3: Advocates Experience Racism: 30% of advocates who completed our survey experienced white supremacy culture or racism at their current or former agency. "The practice of hiring activists, especially from marginalized backgrounds, with no plan for how to support them during periods of crisis, trauma triggers, burnout, and moral injury makes it impossible for us to effectively support survivors." - Advocate from New York Slide 4: Oppression & Microaggressions: "[There is] an abundance of racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, and overall institutional oppression. In my experience, truly dedicated and passionate advocates were turned empty by the time they had a chance to flee the toxic workplace. Nearly every advocate that left had been victimized by leadership in one way or another." - Advocate from Pennsylvania
September 25, 2025 at 8:42 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Turnover is high in the #AntiViolence field, but we can reduce this by making sure workers, many of them survivors themselves, have healthy, supportive workplaces to continue doing the work they love. #WorkerPowerWednesday

To join us, reach out at wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com!

#Unionizing
Why Unionizing? Unionizing is not workers “being difficult” or choosing their wellbeing over survivor safety. Unionizing is an act of love, a sign of commitment to this work. Anti-violence workers, many survivors themselves, deserve to have their needs met to continue supporting survivors. You cannot pour from an empty cup. #WorkerPowerWednesday; We Deserve Better Project
September 17, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by We Deserve Better Project
thesoarcollective.bsky.social
Being a leader isn’t always easy—and an important skill to have is knowing when to ask for help. The next time you find yourself unsure what to do—remember: you don’t need to have all the answers. Invite your team to be part of the problem-solving process and figure out the solution together.
A reminder for leaders–you don’t have to figure it out on your own. No one expects you to have all the answers–but your team can’t help if they don’t know what’s happening. Be transparent: share what you can, clarify what’s confidential, and invite your team to be part of the problem-solving process.
September 16, 2025 at 9:32 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Talk It Out Together is back next week on Tuesday, August 19! ✨ This month we’ll discuss honoring our labor & workers’ rights in the anti-violence field.

TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. 🔗 Register now at the link in our bio.
Hosted by the We Deserve Better Project Tuesday, July 15 from 4:30 - 6 pm ET / 3:30 - 5 pm CT / 2:30 - 4 pm MT / 1:30 - 3 pm PT. Talk It Out Together. This month we’ll discuss honoring our labor: workers’ rights in the anti-violence field.TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. Register at the link in our bio Join us on September 16 from 4:30 - 6 pm ET. Talk It Out Together: This month we’ll discuss honoring our labor: workers’ rights in the anti-violence field. What does “safety at work” mean for anti-violence workers specifically? What labor protections or benefits feel most essential to sustaining us in anti-violence work? When have you felt the most (or least) respected and valued as a worker in this field? What’s one change—big or small—you’d love to see in how our workplaces honor & support staff? What collective actions could strengthen the rights and wellbeing of anti-violence workers?
September 9, 2025 at 9:51 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Episode 2 is here! Steph & Hoiyan—survivor, former advocate, & social work grad student—dig into burnout, toxic nonprofit culture, and bold visions for reimagining the anti-violence field. Listen on Substack (link in bio) or your fave podcast app! #WeDeserveBetter
New Episode of the RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Podcast, brought to you by the We Deserve Better Project; Episode 2: Don’t We Work to END Abuse Here? Audio clip starting at 27:22
September 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Welcome back to #WorkerPowerWednesday! Our Unionizing Project is gathering anti-violence worker stories, sharing resources, and building a vision for an anti-violence worker union. Interested in joining us? Reach out to us at wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com! #Unionizing #AntiViolence #WorkerPower
What the WDBP Unionizing Project is working on; illustration of 3 people holding signs that read “we deserve better pay,” “we deserve better organizational management,” and “we deserve better systems.” Header: #WorkerPowerWednesday; Footer: We Deserve Better Project Survey and Focus Groups: We are exploring how unionizing has been or could be used as a tool to improve anti-violence workplaces. We hope to collect the wisdom of anti-violence workers to create a blueprint for transforming our movement. Coming soon!; Resource Sharing: We will be sharing unionizing resources on WDBP’s social media, including Unionizing 101 posts, insights from our research, and busting common myths around unionizing. For folks wanting to connect regarding resources, please contact us at wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com with the subject line “Unionizing”.; Creating a collective vision: Our overarching goal? Creating a collective vision for #WorkerPower across the anti-violence field. Together, we will imagine what a national anti-violence workers’ union could look like.
September 3, 2025 at 9:44 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Labor Day isn’t just a holiday—it’s a reminder of the power of collective action. ✊🏽 Today we honor the workers who organized, went on strike & fought for fair pay, safety, and dignity. Worker power changes lives and reshapes movements. #LaborDay #WeDeserveBetter #WorkerPower
Labor Day isn’t just a holiday—it’s a reminder of the power of collective action. Today we honor the generations of workers who organized, went on strike, and fought for fair pay, safer conditions, and dignity on the job. Let Labor Day serve as a reminder that worker power changes lives and reshapes movements.
September 1, 2025 at 7:07 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Dreaming of building worker power in the anti-violence field? ⭐️The Unionizing Project at WDBP is learning from workers, sharing resources & imagining a movement where worker rights & survivor justice align.

Email wedeservebetterproject@gmail.com with “Union” in the subject line to learn more.
Are you interested in unionizing within the anti-violence field? WDBP’s Unionizing Project is exploring how to build a path towards an anti-violence field rooted in worker power. Follow along for our #WorkerPowerWednesdays. Illustration of a hand holding a megaphone.
August 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Talk It Out Together is back next week on Tuesday, August 19! ✨ This month we’ll discuss collective care & accountability in the anti-violence field.

TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. 🔗 Register now at the link in our bio. #advocates
Hosted by the We Deserve Better Project Tuesday, July 15 from 4:30 - 6 pm ET / 3:30 - 5 pm CT / 2:30 - 4 pm MT / 1:30 - 3 pm PT. Talk It Out Together: This month we’ll discuss Collective Care & Accountability in the Anti-Violence Field. TIOT is a space for anti-violence workers to connect, share challenges, and support each other. Register at the link in our bio Join us on August 19 from 4:30 - 6 pm ET. Talk It Out Together: This month we’ll discuss collective care & accountability in the anti-violence field. What does accountability mean to you? Can you give an example of a time when your organization practiced accountability? How about a time when accountability was needed? How do we support our nervous systems to respond when accountability is needed?What would collective care look like? Think: restorative justice > cancel culture. Hosted by the We Deserve Better Project
August 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
✨ Want to join the We Deserve Better Project? We’re inviting new folks to our September meeting! Fill out the form at wedeservebetter.work/volunteer by August 15. #WeDeserveBetter #AntiViolence #Advocate
Want to join the We Deserve Better Project? If you are interested in joining the WDBP, complete the “volunteer” form on our website and we’ll invite you to join our monthly meeting in September. Apply by August 15.
August 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
Our new podcast is here! 🎙️RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Work explores the big issues shaping the field + dreams for a better future. Listen to our pilot episode now on Substack (link in bio) or wherever you get your podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe to get notified of new episodes! #WeDeserveBetter
New Episode of the RE:Imagining Anti-Violence Podcast, brought to you by the We Deserve Better Project; Episode 1: The Assessment Speaks for Itself... We Deserve Better
August 4, 2025 at 10:43 PM
wdbproject.bsky.social
65% of anti-violence advocates reported burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue—often with little-to-no organizational support. The good news is that burnout is preventable—but only if organizations take responsibility. Read more: wedeservebetter.work/key-findings #WeDeserveBetter
We Deserve Better Project 2023 Assessment; Key Finding #4: With little-to-no-support from their organizations, advocates are experiencing burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue. Learn more at wedeservebetter.work/key-findings When Passion Becomes Exploitation: 65% of advocates said they experienced secondary trauma, burnout, and/or compassion fatigue. “Workers in this field are often exploited for their passion and personal connection to the work, with the onus of burnout maintenance on the individual and not on the non-profit structures that treat this work as a business, not a social good." - Advocate from Ohio; "It is also gaslighting to pretend that we are not suffering abuse or to put the onus on staff to prevent "burnout" when we are leaving to end the abuse.” - Advocate from New York Why are Anti-Violence Workers Burning Out? 52% of advocates shared they are challenged by the scarcity of resources.Unstable funding leads to staffing shortages and turnover, creating a cycle of unmanageable workloads. “The primary cause of stress that results from low pay is the inability to retain a large workforce for long enough time to build trust and understanding between coworkers. There is no faith that anyone will stay long enough... and widespread acknowledgement that one’s decision to leave is ultimately fully justified, if not encouraged, for their mental health.” - Advocate from Ohio Burnout is Preventable, and it’s the Organization’s Responsibility: 28% of advocates reported that their organization provides meaningful burnout prevention measures. “My employer worked with me to adjust my schedule so that I can attend weekly therapy sessions. I also currently work from home. The combination of therapy and working from home has done worlds of good for my mental and emotional health.” - Advocate from Alaska; 47% of advocates indicated affordable access to therapy and mental health resources would make them more likely to stay at their job
July 28, 2025 at 10:29 PM