Outside Research on Effective Communication With a Victim
How to Build Trust
· Sympathize
· Find out as much about the victim as you can
· Identify yourself right away
· Find out preferred name of the victim
· Be mindful of your facial expressions and other non-verbal cues
· Pay attention to the space you give the victim, since not all want to be touched
· Always be well informed of the laws and non-legal options so you can give them timely and accurate feedback
o Use clear and concise language and provide timely, accurate information to avoid misunderstanding and confusion
· Listen without judgment
· Take brief notes as this demonstrates concern
o Only do so with the victims permission
· Don’t talk, interrupt, get angry with a victim, or visibly doubt them
· Stay calm even if the victim is angered or flustered
· Don’t jump to conclusions, assume you know what the speaker is going to say, or put words in the victim’s mouth
o Though you want to be aware of any hidden messages that the victim may be making
· Never ask a question just out of curiosity; rather ask with a purpose in mind and let the victim know what that purpose is
o In regards to anything new to the victim about the legal process it is always best to explain what is happening
o The more information the better
· Make the victim comfortable
· Be able to identify doubt, suspicion, anger, anxiety, defensiveness, and inner-turmoil in order to correctly react to the victims needs
· Make your responses realistic
· Never make a promise you cannot keep
· Techniques that help build trust: active listening, paraphrasing, affirmations, open-ended questions
· Techniques that are ineffective: generalizing a victims problem, trying to relate a victims problems to your own issues, coldly implying they should move on, or minimizing their situation
Non-verbal Behavior
· Many victims prefer a bit of physical space
· Never touch a victim unless they initiate it
· Certain body language, like a warm hand shake or a slight leaning into the conversation, can show a victim that personal touch is acceptable if they want it to be
o If leaning or your proximity with the victim makes uncomfortable then move back
o Leaning in along with sitting upright also displays the advocates interest with the victim
· Culture affects a person’s comfort with personal touch
· To perfect the correct facial expression an advocate can benefit from practicing their facial expressions in the mirror
· Behavior to avoid: slouching, eye wondering, and showing impatient facial expressions
Understanding the Trauma Victims Experience
Immediate reaction:
· Shock, surprise, anxiety, disbelief, or terror
Short term reaction:
· Preoccupied, nightmares, concern for safety, feeling at fault, and fearful no one will believe them
Long term reaction:
· Stress, depression, alcohol abuse, suicidal thoughts, sexual dysfunction
How to address these reactions:
· Conduct a basic assessment of the victim’s state of mind though subtle questioning
· Have referrals ready especially for the long term trauma
· Show understanding in regards to the first two trauma states
Victims With Barriers
· More than just ethnicity is considered a barrier
· Other examples are: geopolitical, race, gender, ect.
· When there is a language barrier make sure the proper staff is available
· If you have to use a translator still look at the victim when talking
How to Communicate With an Overly Emotional Victims
Aside from the general rules for building trust an advocate should:
· Allow the victim to select the time and place of the interview or meeting as this gives them control which they have loss by being a victim
· Allow victims time to tell what happened and describe how they are feeling in their own words
· Let the victim know many of their feelings are not uncommon and are justifiable
o Vengeful and suicidal thoughts are not acceptable
· Have referral information readily available
· Allow the victim to talk about their reaction to the crime
· You aren’t going to know all the right answers, but showing that you are listening and supportive is the best route
· When you feel you are over your head that’s when to offer a referral
Telephone Communication
Follow the normal rules of talking to a victim that can be applied to someone over the phone while also:
· Greeting the victim in a personalized manner
· Giving the victim your undivided attention even though they can’t see you
· Avoiding technical phrases that will confuse the victim and making sure that you understand what they need clearly.
· Matching the tone and pace set by the victim
· Closing the conversation by asking if anything further can be done
o If no, let them know they can contact you at any time and leave your phone number if they do not already have it
· Thanking the victim for their time
Communicating with a Child
· Handle with special care
· Keep in mind that children have a short attention span
· Use care in discussing sexual matters when a child has been sexually assaulted
o Their embarrassment and limited knowledge on the subject can make conversation difficult for them
· Even though it is important for all victims to know the crime is not their fault, make sure a child especially knows this
· Include child victims, whenever possible as it goes towards gaining trust
Resources used/outlined for better communication:
http://www.ccvs.state.vt.us/sites/default/files/resources/VVAA%20Ch%205%20Communications.pdf
http://www.justicesolutions.org/art_pub_communicating_with_victims.pdf
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pdftxt/listen_to_my_story_vdguide.pdf
Resources read/kept in mind for a better understand of certain victims:
http://www.childtrafficking.org/pdf/user/handbook_lets_talk_a5_eng.pdf
http://sexualassault.rutgers.edu/victimdiscloses.html
http://www.socialworker.com/domesticviolence.htm
Return to: Annotation Two & Evidence
