Homicide: The Hidden Victims

Social scientist, victim advocate, and herself, the mother of a murder victim, Deborah Spungen is well acquainted with all facets of what she defines as "the blackest hell accompanied by a pain so intense that even breathing becomes an unendurable labor." In Homicide: The Hidden Victims, Spungen illustrates just how and why family members become co-victims when a loved one is murdered and she poignantly addresses the emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological effects of such traumatic events. Until now, the extant literature has focused, primarily, on the perpetrator while impact on the "invisible victims" of crime has been overlooked. With limited services and/or advocacy available, co-victims have found their wounds compounded by confusion and a sense of aloneness in the ongoing aftermath of such a tragic event. Now in a breakthrough presentation, the author provides a wellspring of research, personal insight, and case examples that illuminate such critical issues that surround family notification, effects of murder on family and friends of the victim, media influences, traumatic grief, circumstantial influences, intervention and advocacy, the criminal justice system, and reconstruction and healing.

The timely information and innovative modalities discussed in this book make it ideal for mental health and criminal justice professionals, pastoral counselors, social workers, and victim advocates. It is an excellent training manual for recent graduates and new service providers and, due to its multidisciplinary approach, the book is invaluable for students, academics, researchers, and anyone interested in clinical and counseling psychology, social work, criminal justice, interpersonal violence, nursing, health care, or family studies.