NCJ Number
70281
Journal
Evaluation and Change Dated: Special Issue (1980) Pages: 39-41
Date Published
1980
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Victims of crime involving prolonged contact with the criminal, such as rape or kidnapping, undergo feelings of isolation and helplessness and require special treatment approaches that help them regain a sense of control and self-respect.
Abstract
As a result of being in a hostile environment and of feeling isolated and helpless, victims of such crimes as kidnapping develop traumatic psychological infantilism characterized by clinging to the persons who endanger their lives. They also develop pathological transference, i.e., gratitude towards the criminal for not killing them combined with hostility towards those who try to free them. Therefore, rescue efforts should never include the cooperation of the victims. After the release, treatment approaches are needed which should include availability of privacy without isolation and methods of nurturing and restoring a sense of power and control. This is a continuation of the preceding article (70281), the elaboration of the second of the four stages of psychological response of victims to crime.