Victim Impact – Listen and Learn Victims of Crime and its Effects
Fourteen courageous men and women share their experiences as crime victims and powerfully demonstrate the “ripple effect” that one crime can have on an individual, family member, and the greater community at large. This video was created to enhance existing impact of Crime of Victims (ICV) curricula so that offenders in institutional and community-based settings can view firsthand accounts to help them understand how criminal and delinquent behavior harms others. It is also an effective training resource for victim service providers and allied professionals seeking to improve their understanding of the physical, emotional financial, and psychological impacts that crime has on victims.
This video was produced by Video/Action under contract awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, and the U.S. Department of Justice given with permission to Hope For Children Foundation to distribute on our website hopeforchildrenfoundation.org, and on Youtube and Vimeo. This video about victim impact contains the testimony of people who went through difficult and violent moments in their lives ranging from assault to rape to losing a family member trying to stop the conflict. The material is sensitive and not meant for younger viewers, but the stories each person says here need to be heard.
Victim Impact – Lasting Impact on Sexual Assault Victims
The impact of sexual assault and/or domestic violence to a victim is overwhelming. Please watch and listen to the following movie entitled Victim Impact: Listen and Learn. It is our opinion you will learn many things in which you previously were not aware.
Sexual and domestic violence can have harmful and lasting consequences for victims, families, and communities. The following list describes some of those consequences.
Physical
More than 32,000 pregnancies result from rape every year with the highest rates of rape-induced pregnancy reported by women in abusive relationships.
Some long-term consequences of sexual violence include:
Chronic pain
Gastrointestinal disorders
Gynecological complications
Migraines and other frequent headaches
Sexually transmitted infections
Cervical cancer
Genital injuries
Psychological
Victims of sexual violence face both immediate and chronic psychological consequences.
Immediate psychological consequences include the following:
Shock
Denial
Fear
Confusion
Anxiety
Withdrawal
Shame or guilt
Nervousness
Distrust of others
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
Emotional detachment
Sleep disturbances
Flashbacks
Mental replay of assault
Chronic psychological consequences include the following:
Depression
Generalized anxiety
Attempted or completed suicide
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Diminished interest/avoidance of sex
Low self-esteem/self-blame
Social
Sexual violence also has social impacts on its victims, such as the following:
Strained relationships with family, friends, and intimate partners
Less emotional support from friends and family
Less frequent contact with friends and relatives
Lower likelihood of marriage
Isolation or ostracism from family or community
Health Risk Behaviors
Sexual violence victimization is associated with several health risk behaviors. Some researchers view the following health behaviors as both consequences of sexual violence and factors that increase a person’s vulnerability to being victimized again in the future.
Engaging in high-risk sexual behavior
Unprotected sex
Early sexual initiation
Choosing unhealthy sexual partners
Having multiple sex partners
Trading sex for food, money, or other items
Using harmful substances
Smoking cigarettes
Drinking alcohol
Drinking alcohol and driving
Taking drugs
Unhealthy diet-related behaviors
Fasting
Vomiting
Abusing diet pills
Overeating
Delinquency and criminal behavior
Failure to engage in healthy behaviors, such as motor vehicle seat belt use
We cannot thank you enough for taking time to learn more to better protect our precious citizens,
Hope for Children Foundation Board of Director Members