Drawing a connection from a victim to victimizer

• Published in: Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services Vol. 29; no. 12; pp. 9 - 14
• Main Authors: BURGESS, A. W, HARTMAN, C. R, GRANT, C. A, CLOVER, C. L, SNYDER, W, KING, L. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thorofare, NJ Slack 01.12.1991; SLACK INCORPORATED
• Subjects: Adolescent; Art Therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual - nursing; Child Abuse, Sexual - psychology; Child Abuse, Sexual - therapy; Dissociative Disorders - psychology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Processes; Models, Psychological; Psychiatric Nursing - methods; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sex Offenses - psychology; Victimology; Human; Posttraumatic syndrome; Mental representation; Attitude; Psychotherapy; Cognition; Personality; Victimology; Pictural drawing; Case study; Sexual behavior disorder; Treatment; Sexual violence; Etiology; Adolescent; Information processing; Self control; Social behavior disorder
• ISSN: 0279-3695; 1938-2413
• DOI: 10.3928/0279-3695-19911201-05

1. The biological basis of the altered alarm/dissociative process during and after sexual trauma impedes the development of information processing essential for discerning intention, personal responsibility, sense of control over events, and trust in others. 2. Once this imbalance occurs, the child is restricted in developing cognitive schema to deal with interpersonal intimacy. This in turn results in secondary patterns of aggressiveness or avoidance. 3. The implication of this biological understanding of trauma and information processing for treatment underscores the necessity of reducing arousal, thus lessening the dissociative process. Drawings of the criminal act and the victim experience elicit cues connecting the two events, facilitating an increase in personal control over repeated aggressive acts.