This article provides an important overview of the difficulties and challenges that face an independent advocacy organisation when it engages in vigorous advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged people. It explores ways in which the organisation can be threatened and undermined, sometimes aggressively, more often subtly and even unconsciously, by services and the 'system' who oppose and resent the principles and actions of the advocacy organisation. It considers internal stresses on individual workers as well as the organisation that result from standing in contradiction to the system and society such as 'burn out', conflict of interest and becoming to bureaucratic. Finally, it describes three types of stress that particularly affect Citizen Advocacy organisations. Keyword: Advocacy