“There's no amount of tea in the world that is going to fix the patriarchy right now”: The gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for women in the gender-based violence sector

•The COVID-19 pandemic re-entrenched the gendered, de-valued roles that women occupy in society.•Staying in shelter during the pandemic hindered autonomy and decision-making for mothers.•Staff and leaders working at GBV agencies experienced increased caregiving demands and stress.•Self-care narratives during the pandemic trivialized the experiences of women working in the GBV sector.•There was an absence of a gendered lens for systems and organizations in policy decisions impacting the GBV sector.