Victim Advocates

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Victim Advocates
Courtney Legrand
Capella University
PSYC3150 - Victimology
Professor Ayn O’Reilly
February 2022
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Victim Advocates
WIN: Women in Need
WIN is an agency that is there for Women and children in Need. Most of the time these
women and children are abused or are witnesses to violent crimes. There are many factors that
can cause a women or child to be abused or mistreated, poverty, mental health, domestic
violence, and past victimization are all among the factors that can increase the risk of a domestic
violence and child abuse. An advocate will attend Court hearings with the women, help them
figre out finances, put them in contact with different agencies that can help them get back on
their feet, and in some severe cases put them in a hidden shelter so that they can stay safe during
and after the trial. Many think that once the women and child is removed from the toxic
environment that the damage is done however the long-term effects of domestic violence and
child abuse will stay with them for the rest of their life.
Effects on Victims
The effects of domestic violence and child abuse can be physical, psychological,
behavioral, and societal. “Childhood exposure to violence, crime, and abuse can lead to serious
consequences for the health and well-being of children that can last long into adulthood.” (U.S.
Department of Justice). The psychological effects of the abuse can include mental and emotional
health issues, attachment issues, and brain impairments that effect cognitive skills and executive
functioning. As a result of these psychological effects come behavioral effects as well. One of
the major effects is juvenile delinquency. Once the child gets started down the juvenile
delinquency path, they are very likely to turn that into adult crime as well. “According to
research funded by the National Institute of Justice within the U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Justice Programs, children who experience maltreatment in the form of physical and
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emotional abuse are more likely to develop antisocial behaviors and form relationships with
other antisocial people” (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National
Institute of Justice, 2017).
One theory that can explain how childhood abuse can lead to adult crime is the social
learning theory. The Social Learning Theory states that the victims of abuse or neglect can learn
and mimic patterns of violence or delinquent behaviors (Currie, J., & Tekin, E. 2012). These
negative behaviors are witnessed as a child and imprinted on them. This also can impact women
as well and cause them to bring the trauma and abuse into future relationships.
Social Consequences
Not only does the women and child must live with the physical, psychological, and
behavioral effects of the abuse, there are also societal effects as well. Society pays for the
programs and agencies that help these victims such as Child Protective Services and Women in
Need programs; tax money and community time and resources go into the protection of the
victims, and the hunt and prosecution of the offenders. If, once the child gets older, they start
committing crimes and end up in the jail and prison systems, the community pays for that as
well.
Help and Prevention
Luckily a child is not stuck in an abusive environment there are places that the child can
turn for help. There are state agencies such as CPS, and The Big Brother/Big Sister program,
Women in Need programs, and Court advocates. Once help gets involved there are all kinds of
therapies that the women and child can get involved in so that they can get the help they need
early and hopefully learn the correct way to do things so that they can move past the abuse and
live a happy productive life as a functioning member of society. Society can take a role in
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domestic violence and child abuse prevention as well. There are many things that people can do
to help. If you see something that is domestic violence or child abuse, get involved and make the
appropriate phone calls, donate to various programs, and sign up to help those in need.
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References
Currie, J., & Tekin, E. (2012). Understanding the cycle: childhood maltreatment and future
crime. The Journal of human resources, 47(2), 509–549.
Glatz, T., Källström, Å., Hellfeldt, K., & Thunberg, S. (2019). Physical violence in family sub-
systems: Links to peer victimization and long-term emotional and behavioral problems.
Journal of Family Violence, 34(5), 423–433.
The State of America's children 2021 - child welfare. Children's Defense Fund. (2021, March
28). Retrieved January 2022, from https://www.childrensdefense.org/state-of-americas-
children/soac-2021-child-welfare/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Children's Bureau. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.). Child abuse and
neglect statistics. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/statistics/can/
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime.
(n.d.). Topics. https://ovc.ojp.gov/topics

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1

Professor Ayn O’Reilly

WIN: Women in Need

Institute of Justice, 2017).

Help and Prevention

crime. The Journal of human resources, 47(2), 509–549.

Journal of Family Violence, 34(5), 423–433.

28). Retrieved January 2022, from https://www.childrensdefense.org/state-of-americas-

neglect statistics. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/statistics/can/

(n.d.). Topics. https://ovc.ojp.gov/topics

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