NCJ Number
91173
Date Published
1982
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This film illustrates the psychological aftereffects of victimization from violent crime and the efforts some private and public agencies are making to offer victim assistance.
Abstract
Victims speak of their subsequent physical impairments, but above all of the fear, insecurity, resentment, and even guilt that have plagued them in the wake of unprovoked violent assault upon their persons. Frequently repeated themes in their statements are that life after surviving a violent assault is never the same again, that victims have done nothing to deserve such punishment, and that such violence can strike anyone anytime. Persons recollecting their experiences include assault and battery victims, rape victims, and the family members of homicide victims. Speaking for the kind of services victims need and are entitled to, police special intervention officers and crisis volunteers explain how they offer an understanding and reliable presence in a world which appears menacing to the victim. The film also demonstrates court services that are provided to encourage victims and witnesses to trust the justice system and cooperate with it in seeking redress for the wrongs done them. The film is accompanied by a discussion guide.