| Murder is always senseless, reckless and leaves the | | | | until the legal processes are finished, at least the trial |
| survivors with many unanswered questions and full of | | | | and sentencing. Most victims and families stay stuck in |
| rage, confusion and emotional pain. Because murder is | | | | the anger stage until these legal issues are completed. |
| such a shock, there is no time to prepare or begin the | | | | Support in dealing with the pain and suffering after a |
| process of grieving ahead of time. Shock and disbelief | | | | murder is tenuous and tentative. Most friends and |
| are the protective psychological shields that wrap | | | | relatives don't know how to respond. They may worry |
| around the survivors fragile emotions for the first | | | | about prying, or triggering pain, so often they just |
| several months. | | | | withdraw. Being left alone may be what some |
| The Virginia Tech faculty and students, Columbine | | | | survivors prefer, but others may prefer to talk about |
| massacre, the three faculty members shot on the | | | | what happened. You need to let people know your |
| University of Arizona nursing school and the Federal | | | | preferences. Someone who has not experienced this |
| Building blow up in Oklahoma City are all recent | | | | kind of loss will not be able to relate to the profound |
| examples of the flaws in the mental health system | | | | emotions you are experiencing. |
| and services available in the United States today. | | | | Victims of murder have special support groups |
| These mass murders illustrate the lack of recognition | | | | because this death they experience is very different |
| and awareness of severe problems brewing beneath | | | | than other types of deaths. Only others who have had |
| the surface of the perpetrator for years before they | | | | a similar loss can even begin to fathom what you are |
| commit these horrific acts. How did we fail them? | | | | going through. Many towns in the US have such |
| What a terrible price we as a society paid for looking | | | | support groups. To find one, call National Victim's Rights |
| the other way. Isn't it time to do things differently? | | | | Assistance (NOVA). |
| My great aunt and her husband, both in their seventies, | | | | The Trauma of Victimization |
| were brutally murdered by a neighbor who was drunk | | | | Victims, if they survive, and relatives of victims are |
| and went to their home at 3:30 in the morning | | | | both traumatized by a criminal act. The shock leaves |
| demanding money to buy more liquor. When they | | | | them in a state of psychological disruption and |
| recognized him and saw that he was already drunk, | | | | disorganization, unable to think clearly or to make |
| they refused to give him money. He forced himself into | | | | decisions. They will feel overwhelmed and devastated |
| the kitchen and, using a knife, stabbed both of these | | | | by the shock of the action and the emotional pain |
| elderly people to death. | | | | caused by the crime for a long, long time. |
| The couple left three adult children and five | | | | They can't understand why anyone would want to |
| grandchildren behind. They were all in shock and | | | | hurt them or someone they love. It is senseless. Their |
| couldn't believe what had happened. So many lives | | | | lives may be shattered in a variety of ways. There |
| were affected by the stupidity and violence of his | | | | may be financial loss and physical injury involved. |
| alcoholic attack. My cousins, the murderer's wife and | | | | Survivors often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder; |
| children, and all the extended families suffered. It took | | | | for this reason, seeking counseling is a good thing to |
| three years to get through the legal system, and the | | | | do. |
| murderer is now on death row, still fighting with | | | | Frequently, family members are suspected by law |
| appeals. The murders occurred in California, where | | | | enforcement officials, and may be doubly victimized if |
| they have a death penalty, but it could be several | | | | they are not guilty, as in the Jan Benet Ramsey case |
| more years before he is actually executed for his | | | | in Colorado in 1996. This family was tormented by the |
| crimes. | | | | Boulder, Colorado Police Department and by the |
| When a murderer is caught and taken into custody, it | | | | media, which forced them to get their own attorney |
| is easier to focus the emotional reaction on the culprit. | | | | and finally to move to another city. In high profile cases |
| If the attacker isn't caught, then emotions are more | | | | the media make every detail of the crime public, which |
| fragmented and may be focused on law enforcement, | | | | often results in a violation of the privacy of the |
| believing they are not doing enough to find the | | | | survivors - their mourning and the shock of their |
| perpetrator. Other times, the culprit is caught but isn't | | | | traumatic loss have not been respected. |
| found guilty of the crime. Consider the O.J. Simpson | | | | Victim rights groups believe that education of the public |
| case: most people believe he was guilty but got off | | | | about how the criminal justice system works is critical. |
| because he could afford high priced and high profile | | | | They believe that the scales of justice have gradually |
| attorneys. In his case, justice may not have been done. | | | | become weighted in favor of the criminal, not the |
| Murder is often an impulsive act of passion done by | | | | victim, or the family of the victim. If the victim is dead, |
| someone the victim knows or is related to. Frequently, | | | | he or she has no rights or legal standing. Whereas a |
| murders are related to drug deals gone sour or | | | | perpetrator who is arrested may get out on bail, have |
| organized crime retributions. However, sometimes | | | | his trial delayed for over a year, and may go through |
| murder is a random act of senseless killing, as in the | | | | several years of costly appeals before his final |
| Lee Boyd Malvo and John Muhammad shootings of | | | | punishment is carried out. If the perpetrator kills himself |
| people all over the U.S. They were clearly mentally ill, | | | | or herself the victims may feel cheated of any judicial |
| and the older father figure unduly influenced the | | | | closure. |
| adolescent Lee Boyd. | | | | Justice will only be served when those who are not |
| In the case of any murder, healing cannot really begin | | | | injured by crime feel as indignant as those who are. |