CJ 725 Forensic Behavior Analysis Blog

The Risks and Spread of Burnout in Law Enforcement

The popularity of self-care is interesting because it should go without saying that we should take care of ourselves. Self-care tactics seem to be going the route of diet culture where every month there is a new way to hack happiness, be less stressed, look younger, and feel better. Regardless of the specifics of these self-care routines, they share a commonality in the fact that they all take effort. It takes time, motivation, and commitment to incorporate new self-care practices into everyday life and to find what works best for an individual. Just as the practice itself will differ from person to person, so will the amount of self-care required to reach or maintain a stable place in their mental health. Because of the high stress environment of law enforcement, made even more stressful by the current climate in this country, it is imperative that law enforcement officials practice self-care not only for their own mental health and safety, but for that of the general public as well. Without a proper balance or outlet to handle the stress, officers can easily get burned out, putting everyone at risk.

One side effect of high stress jobs is the possibility of burnout. Burnout is defined by Chauhan as “a severe psychological and physical outcome of prolonged and high levels of stress at work” (2009: 441). Burnout is also often accompanied by “illness, increased substance abuse, and personal relationship difficulties” (Hill, 2004). In addition to workplace burnout, this phenomenon is seen in students who have rigorous and difficult courses as well as athletes who grind all day, every day to the point where they do not enjoy playing their sport anymore. The three stages of burnout are stagnation, detachment, and emotional exhaustion (Chauhan, 2009). When it comes to burnout in law enforcement roles, the second and third stages are where the danger to the individual and the public come into play. When an officer is detached from a situation, they are apathetic and are less able to connect with the individuals involved, resulting in poor performance. The final stage of burnout is also characterized by apathy, doubt in self-efficacy, and lack of sense of accomplishment. When an officer does not care, they cannot think clearly and in the best interest of the public. This creates a dangerous environment for both parties.

Law enforcement jobs will always be stressful. It comes with the territory of dealing with the public, responding to distress calls, seeing all levels of crime, and generally putting oneself at risk every day. Misery truly does love company and the same goes for burnout. Because negative events affect overall well-being more than positive events (Diener & Oishi, 2005), law enforcement officers are at greater risk of diminished happiness due to their above average exposure to negative situations. Furthermore, in departments where the officers and staff spend countless hours together, burnout can spread like a virus and employees can be “made miserable by tyrannical supervisors, abusive spouses, and vindictive friends” (Diener & Oishi, 2005: 164). So, how can burnout and other stress disorders be prevented if the stress itself cannot be taken out of the job? By changing the approaches to which those in particularly high stress environments handle the stress, burnout can be mitigated. Across the board there are generally standard findings as to what tactics work best to handle stress. For example, exercise, sunshine, spending time with friends and family, and eating well (Hill, 2004) are all logical and beneficial ways to put the pressures of the workplace aside and be in the moment. In addition to these, some that are not as commonly discussed including helping others and actively being grateful for what one does have, rather than dwelling on what they lack.

Just as individuals can help themselves combat burnout through the techniques listed above, employers can facilitate an environment where burnout is less likely to occur. By monitoring employees for signs of stress and burnout, department heads and supervisors can catch issues early on. Chauhan (2009) details two questionnaires, the Job Involvement Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, that are specifically designed to identify the level of risk an employee has of reaching burnout. Furthermore, just as misery loves company, so does joy. Leading by example is an excellent way for supervisors to set the tone in a department and demonstrate that mental health and a proper work/life balance is valued and critical. Because law enforcement officials have so much responsibility, it is essential that they do not reach the point of burnout, not only for their own safety and well-being, but that of the public as well.

References:

Chauhan, D. (2009). Effect of Job Involvement on Burnout. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 44(3), 441-453. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27768217

Diener, E., & Oishi, S. (2005). The Nonobvious Social Psychology of Happiness. Psychological Inquiry, 16(4), 162-167. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20447284

Hill, A. (2004). PREVENTING BURNOUT: LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN. GPSolo, 21(7), 56-60. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23672848

Why Massachusetts Should Not Build Any New Women’s Prisons

This post serves as a review of the Baker Administration’s proposal of a trauma-informed new women’s prison, an initiative that is vastly under researched, misinformed, and fiscally irresponsible. While the national rate of women’s incarceration has risen dramatically in the past two decades, the opposite is true for Massachusetts (Rousseau, 2021; Massachusetts Department of Corrections, 2019). Yet despite housing such a low prison population for women, the Baker Administration is pushing on for the creation of a new women’s prison. In its plans, the Administration touts a robust trauma-informed facility based on questionable and irrelevant research (Sered et al, 2021); however, the notion of a trauma-informed incarceral state is not only misinformed but harmful to both the women incarcerated and their impacted communities. Rather than spending well over $50,000,000 on the further incarceration and degradation of women (Sered et al, 2021), the Baker Administration has an invaluable opportunity to re-evaluate it’s criminal justice priorities and listen to the true experts and advocates fighting for decarceration. This post seeks to expand on the downfalls of a trauma-informed prison and offer alternatives to incarceration that would better address the unique challenges associated with crime faced by women.

The key issue with the Administration's, perhaps well-intended plan, is that it will not sufficiently address the inherent trauma associated with incarceration and serve to only further practices of mass incarceration. It is impossible to separate trauma from prison; the implementation of incarceration alone creates trauma and exasperates already present symptoms of trauma. First, incarceration separates families. This is especially concerning in regard to women’s incarceration because incarcerated women are more likely to be the primary caregiver of a young child (Rousseau, 2021; Bloom et al, 2003: 16). Not only does this create obvious trauma for children of incarcerated mothers (Lee et al, 2013), but the mothers themselves face serious mental repercussions from this separation, especially if they recently gave birth (Chambers, 2009). Once released, the damaging effects of incarceration on the family continue to manifest in ways that also impact rehabilitation. As noted by Bloom et al, “Many women released from prison have lost touch with their families and thus face greater adjustment problems in reintegrating into the community” (2003: 16). Without close ties to the family or community, individuals are more likely to recidivate (Mooney and Bala, 2018). Not only does this impact the outlook for the original offender, but the trauma and disruption transferred to the children of incarcerated women is also significantly disturbing and harmful (Lee et al, 2013).

Second, incarcerated women suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, at a higher rate than their male counterparts (Rousseau, 2021). Furthermore, many of these women were victims of crime themselves, with up to 70% reporting a history of abuse (Rousseau, 2021). When placed in a prison setting, underlying trauma and mental illness will suffer (Owen, 2020; Rousseau, 2021). Even when provided treatment during incarceration, it is impossible to avoid the daily harms of one's mental health while behind bars because of the way in which incarceration is structured; inherent in the current carceral state is isolation, high risk of physical and sexual abuse, and lack of bodily autonomy (Bloom et al, 2003: 25; Sered et al, 2021). Even with trauma-informed policies, these risks are simply not worth continuously suppressing incarcerated women when better alternatives to incarceration exist.

Finally, “the most common pathways into crime [for women] are based on ... poverty and substance abuse” (Rousseau, 2021). Incarceration does not solve these problems, it does not get to the root of poverty or substance abuse. Instead, it exasperates these pathways and leaves women with little support post-incarceration to later overcome these challenges. For example, while incarcerated many women are not provided adequate research-based treatment. Alarmingly, “[t]he opioid overdose death rate is 120 times higher for those recently released from incarceration compared to the rest of the adult population” (ACLU Massachusetts, 2021). Moreover, women are not provided adequate opportunities to address poverty while incarcerated, which leaves the problem unaddressed once reintegrated into their communities. Women are typically offered less compensation than male counterparts for work-assignments and are provided a smaller range of vocational programs to assist them post-incarceration (Bloom et al, 2003: 23). These major discrepancies allow the most common pathways into crime for women to fester and worsen upon release, which creates a cycle of criminal behavior that could have been interrupted if the proper resources were originally provided. 

While well intentioned programs, such as yoga therapy and trauma-informed practices in the prison setting have been implemented in places such as MCI-Framingham, a thorough review of scientific literature “found no evidence for the effectiveness of prison-based therapeutic programs, including ones designed to be gender-responsive and trauma-sensitive” in the long term (Sered et al, 2021). This is because trauma-informed services are incompatible with incarceration. Trauma informed services must be composed of four key fundamentals: (1) “take trauma into account; (2) avoid triggering trauma reactions and/or traumatizing the individual; (3) adjust the behavior of counselors, staff and the organization to support the individual's coping capacity; and, (4) allow survivors to manage their trauma symptoms successfully so that they are able to access, retain, and benefit from these services” (Rousseau, 2021). These four fundamentals cannot be effectively carried out in a prison where the “[l]oss of custody of children, lack of bodily privacy, absence of control over whom one does or does not interact with, and limited freedom of movement, control over time, and personal space may in and of themselves cause trauma” (Sered et al, 2021). Thus, in application, the carceral state does not leave room for the avoidance of traumatizing or retraumatizing an individual. Further, the constraints and environment of a prison does not allow survivors to effectively manage their symptoms of trauma. Counselors, staff, and organization can work to support the individual’s treatment, as advocated and explained by Tonier Cain, a national trainer on trauma-informed services in prisons (Rousseau, 2021); however, “barked orders, pat-downs, strip searches, and looming threats of punishment” at the hands of the prison staff work against this (Sered et al, 2021). Despite attempts to alleviate the trauma endured behind bars, a trauma-informed prison will not prevent the inevitable long term harms of incarceration.

The greatest hurdle to both legislators and the general public, it seems, is what do we do without a prison? What about those who have committed so-called violent crimes? These questions cannot be ignored, but they cannot be solved by simply building a new prison. Rather than imprisoning women, thereby disrupting families and exasperating mental health issues, alternatives to incarceration are wide and plenty, many of which offer far more promising results in rehabilitation than incarceration provides (Sered et al, 2021). These alternatives should take into consideration the pathways leading to the alleged crime and find ways to divert the individual from incarceration. In practice, for example, a woman suffering from substance abuse disorder could greatly benefit from voluntary treatment outside of prison -- this concept is supported by evidence finding that recurrent substance abuse needs treatment not punishment (ACLU Massachusetts, 2021). Alternatives to incarceration are not simply alternatives to the physical imprisonment of an individual, but also include updating criminal justice policies to reduce incarceration and better serve the needs of communities. As an example, some criminal justice advocates suggest decriminalizing various degrees of drugs and sex work and focusing instead of providing resources to work against substance abuse and poverty. By placing the emphasis on support and rehabilitation rather than punishment and incarceration, the Commonwealth can more effectively reduce crime.

Building a new women’s prison is not necessary to promote rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, and support the community. Instead, I argue that building a new prison will only further suppress and degrade women deserving help, support, and encouragement. As aptly put by Dr. Danielle Rousseau, “Not all populations within the criminal justice system are the same, and in order to foster effective policy and programing, it is important to recognize this fact” (2021). Thus, moving forward, the Baker Administration should take seriously the advocacy of women who have been put down by the very system the Administration intends to promote, such as the formerly incarcerated advocates and experts leading the way with Families for Justice as Healing (FJAH). As a concluding thought, I leave the following statement, “[Women] need families that are not divided by public policy, streets and homes that are safe from violence and abuse, and health and mental health services that are accessible. The challenges women face must be met with expanded opportunity and a more thoughtful criminal justice policy” (Bloom et al, 2013: 21); the Commonwealth has a unique opportunity to support the rehabilitation and empowerment of women through the implementation of alternatives to incarceration as opposed to a formidable new prison. 

*This post does not speak for or on behalf of any advocacy group and was written solely for academic purposes.

Works Cited

ACLU Massachusetts. (2021). Treatment Not Imprisonment: Aligning Probation Orders With Addiction Science. 

Bloom, B. E., Owen, B., & Covington, S. S. (2003). Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders. National Institute of Corrections. https://nicic.gov/gender-responsive-strategies-research-practice-and-guiding-principles-women-offenders

Chambers A. N. (2009). Impact of forced separation policy on incarcerated postpartum mothers. Policy, politics & nursing practice, 10(3), 204–211. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527154409351592

Lee, R. D., Fang, X., & Luo, F. (2013). The impact of parental incarceration on the physical and mental health of young adults. Pediatrics, 131(4), e1188–e1195. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-0627

Massachusetts Department of Correction. (2020, April). Prison Population Trends 2019. Mass.gov. https://www.mass.gov/doc/prison-population-trends-2019/download

Money, E. & Bala, N. (2018, October). The Importance Of Supporting Family Connections To Ensure Successful Re-entry. R Street Shorts. https://www.rstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Final-Short-No.-63-1.pdf 

Owen, B. (2020). Women face unique harms from solitary confinement. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/blog/addressing-the-overuse-of-segregation-in-u-s-prisons-and-jails/women-face-unique-harms-from-solitary-confinement  

Rousseau, D. (2021). Module 4: Implementing Psychology in the Criminal Justice System. Boston University Metropolitan College. 

Sered, S. S., Tafte, E., & Russell, C. (2021, January). Ineffectiveness of prison-based therapy: The case for community-based alternatives. Susan Sered, PhD. http://susan.sered.name/blog/debunking-the-myth-of-gender-responsive-treatment-in-prison/

Sered, S. S., Tafte, E., & Russell, C. (2021, March). Alternatives to Incarceration for Women in Massachusetts: An Opportunity and a Challenge. Susan Sered, PhD. http://susan.sered.name/blog/

Invisible Scars from Racism

Social stigma and discrimination have been a nationwide concern that has motivated many social movements and organizations to forefront changes. Despite these efforts, it is still a recognized problem with a prevalence varying in different cities and neighborhoods. As a result, a lack of awareness and recognition on how racism can be easily imposed on one and another makes this issue so impactful on the mental health.

In Experiencing Racism May Damage Memory Cognition, scholar Kat McAlpine exploits a longitudinal study on African American women and their lifelong health risks imposed by discrimination to shed light on such health and wellness concerns. Conveyed as the main point, McAlpine reiterated the connection between “exposure to racism and lower cognitive functions later in life” (2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its collaboration with a systematic review in 2015, racism is associated with higher rates of stress, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and a weakened immune system (2021). Further studies suggest that a constant exposure to racism can provide gateways to unhealthy coping behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol use, drug use, and excessive eating habits (Frellick, 2021).

These behaviors, psychologically, suggest that people who experience race-based stress and trauma frequently have similar experiences to people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Kleinman & Russ, 2020). While the psychiatric disorder commonly occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events, typically seen in disasters, war, and sexual violence, the rising experience of both direct and indirect systematic racism has left serious impacts to the mental and physical health of victims.

Beyond the community initiatives to combat against questionable policing and outbreaks of racially motivated physical and verbal attacks, systematic racism has made racial displacement, exclusion, and segregation an ongoing issue in all communities. The reason for this likely falls on transmitted traumatic stressors, a stressor that is transferred from one generation to the next—coming from historically racist sources or may be personal traumas passed down through families and communities (Mental Health America, 2021). This becomes an important concept highlighted by the social bond theory in which theorist Travis Hirschi argued that elements of social bonding includes the attachments to families and commitments to social norms and institutions (1969). How can understanding this systematic issue help victims of racism?

Like many topics in the field of criminal justice, racism, is also a complex phenomenon. Racism stems from individual experiences, systematic faults, direct traumatic stressors, vicarious traumatic stressors, and transmitted stressors (Mental Health America, 2021). The following statistics are a few examples of some of the prevalent nature of racism:

• In 2018, approximately 38% of the Hispanic community were verbally attacked simply for speaking Spanish. They were told to “go back to their countries,” called a racial slur, and/or treated unfairly by others (Lopez et al., 2020).
• The lack of cultural competency in resources for Native American communities have resulted rates of suicide to be 3.5 times higher than ethnic groups with the lowest rates of suicide (Leavitt et al., 2018).
• African Americans make up around 33% of the total prison population; this highlights an overrepresentation of racist arrests, policing, and sentencing in the criminal justice system (FBI Uniform Crime Report, 2019).

While communities have already and continued their efforts to address racism on many platforms, it is important to remember to maintain the awareness and recognition that racism is more than the definition of prejudice and discrimination against a person, it is a physical, emotional, and mental health issue, and allowing such racial trauma to control a victim’s life should be enough evidence for every level of government to intervene in their highest capabilities.

References

Frellick, M. (2021). CDC declares racism a serious public health threat. CDC. https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210412/cdc-declares-racism-a-serious-public-health-threat

Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press. https://criminology.fandom.com/wiki/Social_Bond_Theory#:~:text=The%20four%20basic%20elements%20of,an%20individual%20holds%20in%20society

Kleinman, B., & Russ, E. (2020). Systematic racism can leave black people suffering from symptoms similar to PTSD. Courier Journal. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2020/06/12/racial-trauma-can-leave-black-people-ptsd-symptoms/3160232001/

Leavitt, R. A., Ertl, A., Sheats, K., Petrosky, E., Ivey-Stephenson, A., & Fowler, K. A. (2018) Suicide among American Indian/Alask Natives – National violent death reporting system. MMWR. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6708a1

Lopez, M. H., Gonzalez-Barrera, A., & Krogstad, J. M. (2020). Latinos’ experiences with discriminations. https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2018/10/25/latinos-and-discrimination/

McAlpine, K. (2020). Experiencing racism may damage memory, cognition. Boston University: The Brink. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/experiencing-racism-may-damage-memory-cognition/

Mental Health America. (2021). Racial trauma. https://www.mhanational.org/racial-trauma

Uniform Crime Report. (2019). Table 43. https://www.ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018/tables/tables-43

Police Legitimacy and Mental Illness

It is hard to ignore the fact that today’s police agencies are the true front line workers when it comes to mental illness. While mental health professionals are the ones diagnosing and treating these individuals, police officers across the country are the ones being called to people's homes, jobs, and even schools when an individual is in crisis. While 99% of these interactions end without violence, individuals suffering from mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed at the hands of the police. In order to prevent these individuals from becoming another statistic of deadly physical force by police, law enforcement agencies must train their officers in Crisis Intervention Training as well as partner with local mental health professional agencies to properly diagnose and treat individuals within their jurisdiction. 

The county in which I work made it mandatory for all officers to receive 40 hours of Crisis Intervention Training, which I was fortunate to take while in the academy prior to any real life police experience. I believe it is harder for seasoned officer’s to forget their previous experiences and tactics when dealing with individuals in crisis, however, it is imperative for success and the avoidance of deadly physical force. At the end of the day, if the situation calls for deadly physical force, then measures must be taken to preserve innocent lives as well as the lives of the officers involved. Through Crisis Intervention Training, officers are taught how to interact with and deal with individuals in crisis in an attempt to calm them down rather than make the situation worse. Rather than completely dismissing their thoughts and actions, officers are taught to be compassionate and understanding while working toward a peaceful resolution with all parties involved. It sounds somewhat simple, however, I can assure you it is very complex and constantly evolving/changing as the situation unfolds. 

New York State Mental Health Laws only allow officers to intervene with arrest when an individual in crisis is an immediate threat to themselves or others, which can sometimes be hard to determine. To help alleviate the stress that is put on the shoulders of the officers on the scene, the county I work in enacted the Crisis Mobile Response Team. When an incident occurs involving an individual in crisis, it is mandatory for the agencies in my county to contact the Crisis Mobile Response Team and request their assistance in diagnosing/treating the individual. In less urgent, non physical incidents, officers will contact the team and request a follow up once the issue(s) at hand have been resolved. In urgent matters, that may or may not have included physical violence, officers will remain on scene with the individual and await the arrival of the Crisis Mobile Response Team. Once the mental health professionals arrive on scene, they have the power to say whether or not the individual needs to be taken into custody under NYS Mental Health Laws and subsequently transported to a mental health facility for further evaluation. This not only allows for a resolution to the problem at hand, but it also starts the process of diagnosis and treatment to prevent further incidents from happening in the future. 

For too long, the police have been seen as the enemy when it comes to mental health intervention. Rather than addressing and helping in the mental health world, police are often associated with violence and arresting those who are suffering from mental illness. It is imperative that agencies across the country train their officers to come to peaceful resolutions, which also means securing and allocating proper funds to do so. Through Crisis Intervention Training and county/ statewide mental health initiatives, similar to the Crisis Mobile Response Team, police agencies will not only become more legitimate in the eyes of the public but also in the eyes of individuals suffering from mental illness. 

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2021). Criminal behavior: a psychological approach. Boston: Pearson.

Carroll, Heather. “People with Untreated Mental Illness 16 Times More Likely to Be Killed By Law Enforcement.” Treatment Advocacy Center, www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/key-issues/criminalization-of-mental-illness/2976-people-with-untreated-mental-illness-16-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-law-enforcement-. 

“Orange County Crisis Call Center: Orange County, NY.” Orange County Crisis Call Center | Orange County, NY, www.orangecountygov.com/1796/Crisis-Call-Center.

CJ 725

Trauma refers to the human reaction to a troubling or distressing happening that devastates a person’s coping abilities; it causes feelings of helplessness, reduces their sense of self, and ability to feel various experiences and emotions. Trauma affects people of all races and ages; hence it is significant concern around the world. There are multiple forms of trauma, including acute, chronic, and complex. According to Gawęda et al. (2020), almost 60% of adults experience abuse or challenging family situations in their childhood. Additionally, the studies indicate that nearly 26% of children in America will encounter traumatic events before three years while one in ten kids has experienced various forms of sexual abuse.

However, various therapies could help mitigate the effects of trauma, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is a form of treatment that helps victims of trauma learn how to recognize and alter disturbing or destructive thought patterns that negatively impact emotions and behavior. Cognitive Behavioral therapy majors on transforming automatic negative thoughts that could enhance anxiety, emotional difficulties, and depression. Among the major concerns is whether Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is more effective compared to other forms of therapy? Hence there is a need for further research about the topic. Various studies indicate that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective since it entails multiple approaches and techniques that focus on behaviors, emotions, and thoughts (Cohen et al., 2018).

Mainstream psychology often ignores the essence of trauma concerning cultural psychology. Even though clinical trauma psychology acknowledges the significance of the ethical value of variations in trauma treatment, there are minimal studies on how culture is related to trauma's human emotional and cognitive responses. There are various self-care strategies that people with trauma could implement. (Salloum et al., 2019). For instance, talking to people more regularly, doing activities that make an individual relax, allowing oneself to experience emotions such as crying, and avoiding major life decisions.

References

Cohen, J. A., Deblinger, E., & Mannarino, A. P. (2018). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for children and families. Psychotherapy Research, 28(1), 47-57.

Gawęda, Ł., Pionke, R., Krężołek, M., Frydecka, D., Nelson, B., & Cechnicki, A. (2020). The interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, psychotic-like experiences and depression and their additive impact on predicting lifetime suicidal behavior in young adults. Psychological medicine, 50(1), 116-124.

Salloum, A., Choi, M. J., & Stover, C. S. (2019). Exploratory study on the role of trauma-informed self-care on child welfare workers' mental health. Children and Youth Services Review, 101, 299-306.

Domestic Violence: Easy to See, Hard to Discuss

Spousal abuse is one of the most common types of abuse that society sees but is also one that society often turns their nose at. Family abuse, domestic abuse more specifically, is estimated to affect about “10 million people every year” and also affects “one in four women” and “one in nine men” showing that it is no longer stereotypically a man abusing his wife (Huecker, 2021). One would think that with how common spousal or even intimate partner abuse is, is that it would be one of the most reported crimes. Sadly enough, statistics show that about “20,000 phone calls are made” to domestic violence hotlines but police reports do not show nearly as many (NCADV). Those who are victims of intimate partner abuse usually stem from a history of abuse already. Although it is a well-known cycle within the criminal justice system, the Cycle of Abuse may not be common knowledge for society. Having exposed and abused children continue on in life to find themselves in an abusive relationship is more common that I’d like to see. Although I myself have not been a victim of domestic abuse, I have been a witness to abusive relationships. I wasn’t a witness in a physical abuse altercation, but I have had friends be in an abusive and toxic relationship.

Abuse does not have to be strictly physical and violent, but it includes “emotional and psychological” abuse and that is the abuse that I saw my friends engaging in, unknowingly (Huecker, 2021). I would be in the college cafeteria area, and I would be sitting with my friends, X and Y who were in a long-term relationship. However, they would argue more times than I would have seen them be affectionate with each other. A lot of the words that were thrown around in these arguments would be “stupid”, “pathetic”, “idiot”, and X would often degrade Y by just referring to her as “woman” rather than her name. They made no effort to make these fights private, as they would shout at each other across the café and have no worries about it. When they broke up, it was a relief to all of our friends because perhaps they could see how bad their relationship was and would also try not to repeat the cycle. As far as I know, they are still broken up.

This relationship, although not physical abuse, ticked off a lot of the qualifications for what deems intimate partner/spousal abuse, what it is:

• Psychological aggression by a current partner
• Resulted in both X and Y having:
  • Anger management issues
  • Low self-esteem
  • Feelings of being inferior;

(Huecker, 2021).

And so on. It is hard to help victims of spousal abuse because it’s often a hard situation to bring up. You do not want to intrude, embarrass the victim, or even be wrong about the situation. I can say that went for our friend group for X and Y, we always just let them argue and then hope that they would be over it soon. That was definitely the wrong way to go about it, but I’m hoping (but absolutely not hoping!) that if I am ever in a situation of witnessing any type of intimate partner or spousal abuse, that I can bring myself to help the victim in the best way that the victim needs.

(NCADV)

My wish is that with resources like this available, victims can get the support and help that they need, along with the hope of lowering those statistics.

Reference:

Huecker, M. (2021, February 17). Domestic violence. Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499891/

NCADV: National coalition against domestic violence. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS

Sexual Abuse in the Military

When it comes to sexual abuse I always lean towards the military. I have been serving for over 6 years and sexual abuse is something I have seen first had as well as experienced in the military. I have had many soldiers come up to me telling me they needed to talk because something had happened from both genders. Sexual assault over the years has only risen in the military among all branches, the statistics show that the under reporting rate, as well as the reporting rate is rather high. The actual number of reported incidents of sexual assault has also increased in the past two years, up 26% from 4,794 to 6,053(Kime, 2019). Showing that only a third of all cases are reported, most woman don't report because 43% them stated that they had a negative experience when doing so. 

Females and males in the military fear reporting because of the shame of what their peers, or commanding officers will say. I know as the years have progressed sexual offenses of any kind are not tolerated and more offenders have been punished. But the stigma of the military is that we are built tough, for any gender it is a very hard topic to come out and say that something of that nature has happened it is almost embarrassing.

Being someone who was once sexually assaulted in the military I honestly didn't want to tell anyone after it happened I was afraid of what people would say. But if it wasn't for my battle buddies they gave me the strength to stand up and say something. It was not a easy task and for the longest time I believed it was my fault, it took over a year before I trusted anyone again. But from it I learn all the right words and actions to take in case it ever happened to any other soldier.

Alcohol plays a major role almost 62% of assaults geared from it, many junior enlisted men and woman are at higher risk for sexual assault. For many people they may not understand why but for the ones who are in or served we understand how hard it is when you start out. It is just like any job you want to put your best foot forward, and your afraid of failure. The same goes in the military you want to show everyone including your family that you can do this, and sometimes you are placed in a situation as a young soldier that you don't know how to get out of. Unfortunately it is still happening to this day  with no end in sight.

There are many treatments that help sexual assaulted victims because frankly many of them experience (PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, social awkwardness, depression, or suicidal thoughts. It is a hard road for anyone to have to deal with if you do not have the proper support chain to help you get through it. I am blessed to have had that chain, and now am the support for others it is a rather rewarding feeling. Even though it came with terrible circumstances it helped me to understand psychology and respect it so much more.

It is often said that a sexual assaulted victim is victimized twice once by the criminal justice system and the other by the perpetrator(Bartol & Bartol, 2021). Self blame is also very real and one that took me so long to get over, but once I realized that I was not the problem I was able to become a advocate for others in the military for many that is not the case.

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2021). Criminal behavior: a psychological approach. Boston: Pearson.

Kime, P. (2019, May 2). Despite Efforts, Sexual Assaults Up Nearly 40% in US Military. Retrieved from https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/05/02/despite-efforts-sexual-assaults-nearly-40-us-military.html

Childhood + Complex Trauma

I'm very closed off when it comes to my experience with childhood trauma; only a handful of people know what has happened in my life. For this post, I won't go into detail about what has happened specifically over the course of my life, but rather how it has impacted me as an adult. I will say, my trauma relates to substance abuse and instability, though not in the way one may assume.

A psychiatrist not too long ago told me I seemed detached from my past, and he's not wrong. As I've gotten older, I have taken inventory of all the emotional, social, and mental changes my childhood has caused. In essence, I don't know how to cope or communicate my emotions effectively; I've adapted in perhaps not the best of ways.

These drawbacks, however, have given me inspiration. I know it's not just me that has gone through trauma that has shaped the personality, and that has encouraged me to educate a more neurotypical community and advocate for those like me.

According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, complex trauma, "describes both children’s exposure to multiple traumatic events—often of an invasive, interpersonal nature—and the wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure. These events are severe and pervasive." In general, it may seem obvious that persistent trauma would impact children in several ways, but it is incredible just how many areas trauma can reach into. I have outlined these in the infographic to the left.

But what happens when these children grow up? We turn into adults with a history, one that may constantly worm its way into our present. The areas impacted by trauma that I mentioned don't just affect the child in the face of trauma, but the adult they become in the wake of it.

Harvard psychiatry professor, Dr. Kerry Ressler, says "Early childhood trauma is a risk factor for almost everything, from adult depression to PTSD and most psychiatric disorders, as well as a host of medical problems, including cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke, cancer, and obesity."

From my own experience, all of this makes sense. When you are faced with a trauma, you jump into survival mode — even if you aren't in any true danger. When this is a persistent feature in one's life, it seems fair to assume this may carry on across the life span. To me, treatment needs to focus on healing the traumatized child still within us. Only then can we proceed with learning to function as an adult.

Trauma Related to Drug Abuse

One day while at work I was standing in a lobby when I noticed a woman in her early 30s who was rushing through the door and appeared panicked. As she passed through the lobby she began crying, short of breath and fell to the ground while talking on her cell phone. When she fell I ran over to her to provide assistance in any way I could. I asked her if she was okay and if there was anything that I could do to help her. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and told me that a family member had just overdosed on heroin. At first I was shocked and felt so bad for her and then tried to help her back to her feet and then escort her to her office where I was met by her friends who consoled her and care for her during that awful time for her.
While I understand that addiction is a very complex dilemma to be in and the problems that addiction alone presents can be quite traumatizing. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health heroin was listed as the primary drug of abuse in 50.3% of treatment admissions. Heroin is a highly addictive opiate that caused 2,000 overdoses in the state of Massachusetts in 2016. With the drug being so addictive and extremely difficult to break the habit which could be predicated by the fact of trauma that the victim is enduring. Not only is heroin and other opiate usage dangerous, but the circumstances and dangers of that lifestyle are traumatic as well. Addicts are susceptible to perilous situations including homelessness, dangerous environments, dangerous people, and some even resort to crime to pay for their habit.

The toll that living on the streets has shown to be traumatic for the body and mind as well. According to the Boston University School of Public Health homeless individuals are more susceptible to premature deaths that can be attributed to poor sleep, lacking hygiene, and an abundance of other complications that come from living out in the elements. With many addicts resorting to living on the streets there becomes only a few ways to acquire money for their addiction.

One way of sustaining their habit is prostitution. In one article by (Silbert, Pines, & Lynch, 1982) it was estimated that between 40-85 percent of prostitutes were suffering from some form of addiction. As stated before addicts are exposed to many dangerous and traumatic situations. Using prostitution to fuel the source of their addiction can lead to many emotional, psychological, and physical traumatic events. Having to live with what they have resorted to do for their addiction can be troubling, and depressing which drives them to feel the euphoric numbness of the opiate. One study by (Farley, 2018) noted that women who participate in prostitution have a 99% greater risk for physical violence than any other highly dangerous job.

Though the affects of drugs are severe and life threatening, we must also address traumatic events that can arise as a byproduct of addiction. Risk factors involved with drug addiction are very dangerous and present a complex and difficult lifestyle. Effects of these epidemics are not centralized to the user, but as stated above can be traumatic for family and friends as well.

Farley, M. (2018). Risks of Prostitution: When the Person Is the Product. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 3(1), 97–108. doi: 10.1086/695670

MA Heroin Treatment Stats. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://adcare.com/massachusetts/heroin/

McInnes, K. (n.d.). Homelessness, Its Consequences, and Its Causes: SPH: Boston University. Retrieved from https://www.bu.edu/sph/2016/02/28/homelessness-its-consequences-and-its-causes/

Silbert, M. H., Pines, A. M., & Lynch, T. (1982). Substance Abuse and Prostitution. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 14(3), 193–197. doi: 10.1080/02791072.1982.10471928