VICTIM SUPPORT:Main features of PTSD, Emotional Support

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Lesson 39

VICTIM SUPPORT

Objective

To know about who are victims and their types

To learn about the victim support

To understand the main features of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

To get familiar with Support and Cathartic therapies

Victims of violence

First we have been discussing how to help offenders and violent criminals but now will be throwing

little light on the serious issue of victim support.

Who are victims?

Victims are, by definition, those people who have been harmed or "scarred" physically and/or

psychologically by crimes against them or their property. It also makes sense to include "co-

victims" of various sorts in this definition because the impact or "touch" of victimization is wide-

reaching -- and includes family survivors, friends and acquaintances, co-workers, classmates,

neighborhoods, communities, regions, and sometimes whole nations. It also makes sense to include

helpers of victims as victims themselves.

Types of victims

Victims of rape and sexual assault

Victims of violence

Survivors of murderous assaults

Survivors of robberies

Hijack survivors

Others

Victim support (whom and why?)

Victims react differently to the same kind of crime, is based on their pre-morbid personality. Like a

victim of mobile snatching can react completely differently to the same street crime. One can think as if

end of the world and other can thank Allah for not having a big loss.

In general, violent crime such as rape, aggravated assault, homicide and alcohol-related vehicular

homicide produce more crime-related psychological distress than property crimes like burglary. Also,

victims' appraisals of how dangerous the crime was are related to crime related psychological trauma. In

particular, a belief that one might have been seriously injured or killed in a crime is a more powerful

predictor of distress than objective factors such as physical injury, force and use of a weapon.

Prior history of most mental disorders did not increase risk of developing PTSD after experiencing a

stressful, violent crime. However, a history of major depression did increase the risk that PTSD would

develop, but only if the crime was highly stressful. This suggests that victims with PTSD or depression

may be particularly vulnerable to crime-related psychological trauma, but also confirms the important

role played by the stressful nature of the crime itself.

All crime victims have the following common reactions:

Anger -- it is not unusual to be angry at police, criminal justice, or society

(Greenberg & Ruback 1992)

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Depression -- low mood, low appetite/weight loss, sleep problems, energy changes,

self-blame/guilt, worthlessness/ hopelessness, difficulty concentrating and thoughts

of death (APA 1994)

Anxiety -- fear/distress/worry, psychosomatic symptoms (sweating, shaking,

difficulty breathing, nausea, chest pain, dizziness), behavior change (avoidance,

rituals), and behaviors to reduce distress (APA 1994)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder : typical response of victim to crime is PTSD,

previously known as "shell shock' and this term emerged in war situations.

Main features of PTSD

1. Anxiety and Fear

2. Depression

3. Obsessions, after they have been victimized

4. Flashbacks

5. Unexplained Aggression and Anger

6. Dissociation

7. Low self-esteem

Self-esteem or self-worth is a person's self-image at an emotional level; circumventing reason and

logic. After going through the experience of hideous crimes like rape, robbery, murder survivors,

one develops a very low esteem.

Therapy for Crime-Related Psychological Trauma

There are dozens of different psychotherapies, but relatively few are designed specifically for use

with crime victims and have had their efficacy evaluated. Most of the research on efficacy of

treatment for crime-related psychological trauma has been conducted with adult victims of rape

rather than with child victims or with adult victims of other types of crimes. However, much of what

has been learned from research on treatment of rape victims is probably applicable to treatment of

other crime victims as well.

Supportive Therapy

As discussed earlier, this is an umbrella term and many other therapies come under this but the basic

purpose is to deal with PSTD and other psychological problems of victims.

Techniques used to provide support

Empathy

Empathy is appreciation of victim's problems and feelings without experiencing the same emotional

reaction. To be distinguished from sympathy, that is usually non-objective and non-critical.

Emotional Support

Also known as holding, like a mother holds child. An emotional support that is provided to prop

up the healing process.

Cathartic Therapies

These therapies allow the victim to release and express their pent up emotions, feelings. This is

accomplished through:

1. Allowing clients to talk freely with out interruption and judgment but keep in mind

this is not easy at the start of the therapy and particularly in the case of deep traumas.

2. Victims are helped to release and express their emotions through Art and music

therapies.

Art therapy

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Victims are allows to draw, paint and colour, what ever they feel in response to that particular crime

experience. And as therapy proceeds and client becomes stronger and stronger he is asked to re-

visit the trauma and they try to paint and colour that trauma. But this is to do with great care and

usually used in very few cases.

Music therapy

What Is Music Therapy?

"Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish

individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has

completed an approved music therapy program."

As we have discussed music therapy with offender here we use music therapy to help victim to deal

with the psychological problems that have aroused as the result of crime. Music therapy can be vital

in helping heal the pain of traumatised victims.

How Does Music Therapy Help victims?

Music therapy has been shown to have a significant effect on an individual's relaxation, respiration

rate, self-reported pain reduction, and behaviorally observed and self-reported anxiety levels. A

coordinated program of music and music therapy interventions in response to crisis or trauma,

designed and implemented by a qualified music therapist, provides opportunities for:

Non-verbal outlets for emotions associated with traumatic experiences

Anxiety and stress reduction

Positive changes in mood and emotional states

Active and positive participant involvement in treatment

Enhanced feelings of control, con.dence, and empowerment

Positive physiological changes, such as lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and

relaxed muscle tension

Including understanding and coping with anxiety and helplessness

Building confidence and sense of security

And providing a safe or neutral environment for relaxation

Music therapy is used in two ways

a. A soothing music is played and victim is asked to relax and some times client is asked to

re-visit the trauma

through imagery to reduce the bad effect in relaxed and safe

environment.

b. Some Instruments are placed in front of clients and they are allowed to play them and

provide an outlet to problematic emotions.

Drama Therapy

Drama therapy can be effectively used to relieve the trauma through drama and role playing. Client can

explore the whole range of experiences playing different kinds of roles. Comedy dramas are also used

to weaken colour of traumatic experiences.

Externalization

Externalization means to put something outside of its original borders, especially to put a human

feeling outside of the human body and naming and then painting that feeling.

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

We will use his differently while working with victims, so they are asked to draw their PTSD, draw a

picture of pathology externalize them and name it. Naming is predominantly important as by naming we

are confining a separate psychological space for the problem.

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