NCJ Number
90221
Date Published
1982
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Significant persons in the lives of those killed in a crime ('survivor-victim') not only have to deal with their own fantasies and difficulties resulting from the trauma but must also deal with societal reactions to the victims of violent crimes.
Abstract
Although there is little hard data on the plight of survivor-victims, indications are that there are two broad phases to survivor-victims' reactions to their loss: an acute phase and a phase of reorganization. In the acute phase, there is a sense of overpowering despair, and fantasies of how the deceased suffered are often prominent. The acute phase also may involve feelings of guilt associated with the survivor-victim's perceptions of what he/she might have done to prevent the crime. In the reorganization phase, dreams and nightmares of the deceased are often prominent, and phobic avoidance of places or objects associated with the deceased are frequent. Prolonged legal issues associated with the incident often perpetuate bitter feelings and the placing of blame on others for the victim's death. Where the incident involves a suicide, guilt feelings tend to be intensified. Although there are no evaluation studies that focus specifically on the effectiveness of services to survivor-victims, evaluations of services to survivor-victims in cases of disasters indicate that adjustment is better among those receiving counseling and various other services. For the present, what is required is a sensitive management of the difficulties which may arise in survivor-victims, coupled with ongoing assessment of the natural history of such difficulties and of intervention programs which may be established. Eighteen references are provided.