| Michael
was referred to me by the State Victims of Crime
Compensation Board. His case was not unlike many
abuse victims. He had been bounced from one foster
home to the next. His family of origin had outright
turned him away at age 11, stating that he was
"uncontrollable." In his last stay in
foster care, Michael was raped repeatedly by the
father of the home. By age 15, Michael had summoned
up enough courage to go to the police and file
charges. Two years later, and two months into
our treatment, Michael and I were informed that
the Prosecutor was dropping the case for lack
of evidence. The impact on Michael was overwhelming.
Although our work was focused on "walking"
into the fearful images/memories, and subsequent
acceptance and forgiveness, Michael was far from
ready to accept this most recent abuse. To him,
the State was announcing that they didn't believe
him or didn't care. His response was anger, violence,
indifference, and self-mutilation. He informed
me that there was no need for further treatment,
as he had decided to become "a sniper for
any government that will take me" because
he "wanted to kill."
Those of us who
work with child victims of abuse are constantly
reminded of the weaknesses in the foster care
system. Perhaps it's time to turn our attention
to the legal arena as well, and how it impacts
our patients.
The system is
filled with people of good intention. Conversely,
we must understand that it is in fact a political
system, and many prosecutors with their eye on
higher office, will not take a case that is a
potential loser. With circumstantial evidence,
interpretive medical records, hesitant cooperative
witnesses, and intimidated victims, litigation
becomes a 50/50 proposition - and that is just
too close to chance for many politically inclined
prosecutors. As the states continue to allow abusers
to walk free and continue their criminal activity,
victims are getting the message that coming forward
is not as helpful as we are attempting to have
them believe. Couple this with the incredible
fear that most abusers permeate in their victims,
and the potential for our society reverting to
the days when rape and other crimes of sexual
violence were hushed up begins to emerge as a
frightening and very real possibility. We are,
I am afraid, sending the message to both victim
and perpetrator that the law is impotent, and
that this most vicious of crimes is okay.
As for our patients,
how can we offer them a safe environment to be
able to express all of their innermost torments
when our efforts are being undermined by the surreptitious
innuendoes of a judicial system that is basically
implying that they are on their own? If, in Michael's
case, I were to report his homicidal ideation,
he would be picked up! The insanity is
layered with insanity. And, can we honestly tell
our patients that they, by seeking revenge, are
wrong if the only penalty for their assailant
is recourse by their own hands? Ideally, we try
to explain that what happens to their abuser is
not germane to their finding peace within. It's
not going to "fix" their memory, flashbacks,
nightmares, etc., and that their peace will come
in acceptance and forgiveness. But in the real
world of the victim, can we honestly look into
their eyes and tell them that they can and must
continue their life knowing that the person who
so invaded their emotional self is not going to
be held accountable? Isn't this another reinforcement
of the classic distorted belief by the victim
that he or she must be "bad" or in some
way deserved what happened to him or her?
I may have lost
Michael. I'm not sure. But I do know that if he
comes back, our work together has just taken on
another obstacle. In a mind so fragile and already
filled with confusion, the legal system has just
heaped on a bit more junk to be sorted through
in search of the evasive truth that is essential
to heal.
©1999
by The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic
Stress, Inc. |
