Victimology is the study of victims of crimes, and the outcomes. This incorporates any physical and psychological trauma a victim may experience. Victims that are studied in this field are mostly victims of violent crimes like assault and rape. A lot of the time, these victims are so traumatized by their experiences that they can’t bring themselves to talk about it even years later. Victims are very sensitive and the criminal justice system has implemented some things to help victims in their recovery and healing process.

If a victim is brought into a hospital after a rape, most hospitals have specialized nurses to get a statement and comfort them. These nurses are trained in proper techniques to get a victim talking. They understand that the victim is going through a horrible experience and they just want to forget the whole thing. The team of nurses are there to help comfort the victim and help them feel safe. While also getting facts of the crime to inform police. It is tough for victims to bring the events to light after they have happened not so long ago. That is why this idea of specialists was implemented.

Restraining orders are a great resource for victims to use. If the victim personally knew their attacker, they can file a restraining order against them. What this entails is that if the offender were to get within a certain distance of the victim, they can be reprimanded on site, and convicted for violating the rules of their parole. The offender will most likely be sent back to jail and put in front of a judge to figure out if they should return to prison for another sentence.

Support groups for victims of rape and sexual assault. These groups are filled with people that have been through similar traumatic experiences where they can rely on each other for help and for comfort. It is easier for these types of victims to talk about how they are feeling with other people that will understand. Majority of these groups are for women, but men are normally welcome as well. These organizations also double as drug and alcohol counseling centers for people who fell victim to addiction.

It may not seem like much, but these are just a few things that the criminal justice system has implemented to help victims move on with their lives and improve their mental health after a traumatic incident. Comment below on which you think is the most effective resource and why.