Fresh news delivered to you every day. Visit our Circulation department for print subscription information. When a criminal attacks or kills a victim, it sends out a wave of grief and loss that ripples through the community and our society. Criminal attacks are sudden and unexpected.
Victims describe sleepless nights, obsessive ruminating and inability to concentrate.
Family members also are shaken by loss and concern for their loved ones. Victims may need to be reassured that what they are experiencing is a normal part of the grieving process. They may need to be given permission to grieve and information about the grieving process. Friends of the victim and family can provide support and understanding. Part of the healing process is talking about the event again, and again and again.