Vicarious Trauma
Definition
Psychological harm absorbed by people who are repeatedly exposed to another person's traumatic experience at close range, such as first responders, investigators, interpreters and family members, without being victimised directly themselves.
Related terms
- Institutional Betrayal
- Harm that occurs when an institution a person depends on for safety, such as a police force, a court, a school or...
- Primary Victimisation
- The direct physical, financial or psychological harm caused to a person by the criminal act itself.
- Re-Victimisation
- A new and separate offence committed against a person who has already been a crime victim, as opposed to harm generated by...
- Secondary Victimisation
- Additional harm caused to a victim through the process of reporting and investigation, such as disbelief, insensitive questioning, or retraumatisation. Fear of...
- Tertiary Victimisation
- The diffuse harm a crime causes to a wider community or to society, including reduced trust in public safety, fear of crime,...