Victim psychology
After someone has had a crime committed against them, they may find themselves experiencing many disturbing or confusing feelings.
Everyone is an individual and is affected by crime in a different way. It partly depends upon someone's psychological makeup before the incident, and their perception of their own vulnerability. But according to Garry Williams, Victim Supportline Co-ordinator, a person's response also "depends on the experience itself. For example is it a one-off, or is it an ongoing situation such as domestic violence?"
The emotional process of coming to terms with being a victim of crime has much in common with the way people recover from other types of trauma. Most people go through three stages:
- Shock: there may be feelings of disbelief, anger, confusion, or depression. There may be a period of denial, where people say they're not that badly affected, but really they can't admit that they're upset about what happened.
- Acceptance: what has happened slowly starts to 'sink in'.
- Readjustment: where the person gets back to their usual life or makes changes to it, often to prevent similar events happening again.
These feelings can vary in intensity. Recovery often depends upon the type and severity of the crime, and may take days or even years to get over. It may be a case of 'one step forwards, two steps back' with some people.
During the adjustment process, people are trying to make sense of what has happened to them. Strange or negative thoughts are common, and people often blame themselves in some way for what has happened. When coming to terms with being a victim of crime, it's not unusual to experience intense emotions such as fear and anger, or obsessive thoughts and flashbacks.
Negative thoughts may include:
- Somehow I brought this on myself, it's my fault
- I'm probably overreacting
- Why am I feeling like this? I don't understand
- I could have prevented it
- Now I feel weak, or less of a man
- Should have fought back or been able to do more
- It might happen again, I'm vulnerable
- I want to hurt or kill the people who did this to me
When people are going through a phase of readjustment, they make a few sensible changes to their behaviour or lifestyle. However, some may be so badly shaken up that they make extreme changes, which can restrict their everyday lives.
The way we're socialised can affect the way we deal with trauma. Women sometimes need to give themselves permission to feel angry, and men sometimes need to give themselves permission to admit that they felt afraid or weak. Most people can also benefit from practical advice as well as a listening ear and emotional support, and Victim Support are often asked for advice on personal safety, giving evidence, and claiming compensation while they're listening to people's problems.
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