Trauma Toolkit: Resilience From Victimization: Elysia Nogueras

SOWK Trauma & Resilience
Trauma ToolKit:
Resilience from Victimization
Elysia Nogueras

Introduction
Trauma consists of serious injury and shock that occurs to the body, emotional wound, or
event/ situation that causes a great deal of distress. Trauma is not always an event in itself,
but rather a response to a stressful experience in which a person's ability to cope is
dramatically undermined. A traumatic experience or enduring condition occurs when an
individual's subjective experiences threaten their life, bodily, integrity, or sanity. Within the
field of criminal justice, trauma is seen within individuals who have experienced
victimization. Those who experience victimization are victims of crimes that may have
harmed their person, their property, or their loved one. The criminal justice system fights
for justice to be served so the victim can be at peace. However, the system neglects the fact
that victims experience traumatic events that do not just go away when the criminal is put
behind bars.

Principle of Trauma
There are several principles and key concepts that can be applied to understand the nature
and dynamics of trauma that are essential for victims, their families, and their communities,
in order to seek the appropriate help for preventing, responding to, and or treating trauma.
(1) The younger the person, the greater the impact a traumatic event has on the person and his
or her brain. Age matters. The younger an individual is, the less developed his or her brain
is. During early brain development, nurturing responses and individualized interactions
from birth and onward, help build healthy brain activity. When this is compromised by a
traumatic event, in this case being victimized, there could be delays within the brain's
development which can be carried on through adulthood if not treated or managed. (2.) A
n
event is traumatic only when an individual experiences it that way. What is traumatic to one
individual, may not be traumatic to another. Therefore trauma is individualized. For
example, two individuals could have both been victims of theft, however one individual
may view this act as traumatic and the other may not. (3.) Traumatic responses vary from
person to person. Just as trauma varies from person to person, so do their responses.
Responses to trauma may include emotional, physical, and biological responses. These
responses to trauma may resolve on its own or remain dormant until triggered. For
example, two individuals could have both been victims of theft, however one individual
responses include becoming very angry or upset, while the other individual experiences
shortness of breath or panic attacks.
Principles of Support
There are principles and key concepts that support in identifying, initiating, or building
upon resilience in victims, their families, and their communities. Support can be found
through family communications, counseling, and victim agency. Family communication is
important for those who have been victimized and experienced a traumatic event. Having
people around you that are going to love and care for you no matter what can be very
encouraging and can provide comfort. Counseling can be used to support an individual if
they feel as though just talking to their family is not enough. Having someone who does not
know you that well or who does not know your story can make an individual more inclined
to speak up and seek help. V
ictim agencies can provide a victim with legal support. As a

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victim of a crime, you have rights and are entitled to compensation and restitution. These
agencies can help you through the legal process in order to make this difficult and
traumatic time less stressful.
Principles of Self Care

Self care is any activity that can take care of, manage, and or treat one's mental, emotional,
or physical health. SInce trauma varies from person to person and so does their responses,
it is important to find what type of self care activities work best for you. Some self care
activities that may benefit victims of crimes are j ournaling, meditation, and having a safety
plan. Journaling can involve writing down any feelings or words that an individual may be
feeling or thinking of at the moment. Journaling can be used as a form of communication if
an individual does not feel like talking. Rather than an individual retraumatizing themselves
by discussing the event of their victimization over and over again, he or she can just write it
down. M
editation allows the individual to focus on their breathing rather than the thing that
is bothering them. This allows for a stress free environment and for the individual to feel
grounding and increase their self awareness. S
afety plans are personalized plans that can
help individuals avoid stress or anxiety. For example, if an individual is feeling stressed,
anxious, or triggered, he or she may count to five, take long deep breaths, shake their leg,
play with their hair, or say a prayer. These are all ways for the individual to stay relaxed and
grounded during a difficult time.
Resources
If you or someone you know has lingering trauma due to being the victim of crime there
are resources out there for you. Please seek help from your local victim advocate agencies,
going to counseling or therapy sections, or by meeting with a social worker. You do not
have to go through this alone and resilience is right around the corner.

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