Prepared By:- Mrs. Nupur Naithani. Oxford B.Ed.

College, Mumbai

UNIT-6
CRISIS INTERVENTION
Victims of Abuse
Abuse counseling offers victims the chance to talk face-to-face in a safe, non-judgmental
environment. Practitioners aim to help the client come to terms with their emotional issues and
realize their ability to take control of their lives. Strong emphasis is placed on personal
empowerment.
Definition of Abuse
Abuse is a general term used to describe the maltreatment of an individual by another person.
physical, verbal, or emotional maltreatmentcan leave psychological wounds that are harder
to heal than bodily injuries. Intense, often negative feelings may plague the survivor, and he or
she may struggle to cope and lead a happy, peaceful life. Distressing memories, anxiety, blocks
to intimacy, and trust issues are common, although many people are able to overcome or
minimize challenges like these.
The three most common forms of abuse are emotional, physical and sexual. It can affect anyone,
male or female, old or young.
Physical abuse usually involves one person causing an injury to another through slapping,
hitting, kicking or by the use of an object/weapon.
Emotional abuse is another widespread but seldom-reported type of abuse. It includes behavior
such as verbal criticism, disapproval or intimidation intended to diminish an individual's feelings
of self-confidence and self-worth.
All types of abuse are painful and can cause psychological distress, and it is not uncommon for a
victim of abuse to experience more than one type of abuse. For example, someone who
was sexually abused may have been emotionally abused concurrently. Abuse can occur within
any relationship construct, whether familial, professional, or social, and it can also occur
between strangers.

Many forms of abuse are in fact abuses of power, in which a person repeatedly attempts to
control or manipulate the behavior of another person. Emotional or psychological abuse can
include a chronic pattern of criticism, coercion, humiliation, accusation, or threats to ones
physical safety, and childhood neglect is also a form of psychological abuse.
While abuse in any form can have a negative impact on an individuals life, significant emotional
or psychological problems do not necessarily result from every case of abuse. The severity of
psychological repercussions can vary depending on many factors, such as how well the victim

Prepared By:- Mrs. Nupur Naithani. Oxford B.Ed. College, Mumbai

was associated with the abuser and whether the abuse was recognized or dismissed by the friends
and family of the abused.
Children who have been sexually, psychologically, or physically abused often experience
emotional problems that can affect their academic performance and social skills. As adults,
survivors of abuse may experience difficulty maintaining healthy relationships and
productivity at work. Survivors of abuse, who are at heightened risk for developing mental health
issues like depression, are likely to encounter one or more of the following psychological issues:

Anxiety: People who have experienced abuse may be afraid of people or situations that
remind them of their abuse experiences. They may be scared to be alone, frightened of
strangers, or fearful of sexual intimacy, depending on the nature of the abuse they
experienced. Disrupted sleep, compulsive behaviors, panic attacks, and other indications
of anxiety are somewhat common in survivors of abuse.

Anger: Survivors of abuse may feel intense anger at their abusers, at those who knew of
the abuse and failed to intervene, and even at themselves for being abused, particularly
when they believe they could or should have stopped it. Anger is a natural and normal
response to being abused, and survivors can learn to manage their anger in a constructive
manner that will facilitate healing.

Dissociation: A lack of feeling, numbness, confusion, and out-of-body experiences

may occur during or after abuse to help the victim avoid the pain and fear associated with
abuse. In rare cases, memories of abuse may be repressed, so that the victim does not
have any conscious memory of the abuse.

Mood Issues: Depression, irritability, and mood swings affect many survivors of abuse.

Posttraumatic Stress (PTSD): Nightmares, hyper vigilance, flashbacks and other

symptoms of PTSD may occur. Survivors are likely to avoid certain settings and
situations that remind them of the abuse.

Shame: Guilt and shame are often experienced when a survivor believes that he or she
deserved the abuse, was responsible for it, or failed to stop it. Challenging these beliefs in
therapy can help a person transform these feelings.

Self-Destructive Behavior: Sometimes survivors will self-medicate, with drugs or alcohol

for example, or engage in self-harm, such as burning or cutting themselves. Other times,
people may seek out scenarios in which the abuse is repeated, neglect their personal
health and hygiene, or sabotage any potential for success. These behaviors are often
representative of low self-esteem, which is a common symptom of abuse.

Trust Issues: Learning to trust others after abuse has occurred can be challenging,
particularly with regards to intimacy.

Prepared By:- Mrs. Nupur Naithani. Oxford B.Ed. College, Mumbai

Psychotherapy for Abuse Survivors
Therapy can help a person express and process difficult emotions associated with the
abuse, develop self-compassion and self-care strategies for managing moments when he
or she feels emotionally overwhelmed, and learn to trust again.
Many therapeutic approaches are suitable for treating a person who has experienced
abuse, from narrative to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). In
addition, therapy may employ mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, or experiential
techniques that incorporate art, journaling etc.
Group therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in providing social support to help abuse
survivors cope with and transform their feelings of shame, guilt, and alienation from
others as they interact and bond with other people who have lived through similar
experiences. For those who fear the vulnerability and exposure they may experience in a
group setting, working one-on-one with a therapist can be a more intimate and
personalized experience.
All victims of abuse are crisis cases with shock, disbelief and denial. all of them therefore should
be handled sympathetically with warmth and understanding.
The counselor must first assess
The gravity of the abuse and assault
Extent of damage done to the person and family
The duration of the abuse
Arrange for the medical help to avert the danger of threat to survival and suicide
Help to built a support system around the victim and orient the supporters of likely
disorganized changes of behaviors, personality and emotions
Use prolonged emotional counseling for catharsis, to help victim deal with emotions
of trauma, guilt, regret and disbelief
Briefing the victim exercises to reduce the negative impact of trauma, rebuild self
esteem and autonomy
Help in developing new and healthy coping styles
Open the new social world by making new relations, developing hobbies, creatively
express ones emotions. and not keep them suppressed
In cases of victims, role of family and friends is of maximum importance as they can understand
the extent of damage to the psyche of victim. The counselor role is also, do family counseling top
sensitize them how to handle the victim and how to reintegrate the person back to normal
relations. Counselor can use cognitive behavior therapy help victim to realize that abuse was not
his fault. Long term stress management can be done with the help of yoga and meditation.

Disabled
Disability is the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory,
emotional, developmental, or some combination of these. A disability may be present from birth,
or occur during a person's lifetime.
According to the World Health
Organization Disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of

Prepared By:- Mrs. Nupur Naithani. Oxford B.Ed. College, Mumbai

ability to perform in a manner or within the range considered normal for a human being
Persons with Disability Act 1995 defined as a person suffering from not less than forty
per cent of any disability as certified by a medical authority. The disabilities identified
are, blindness, low vision, cerebral palsy, leprosy, leprosy cured, hearing impairment,
locomotor disability, mental illness and mental retardation as well as multiple
disabilities.
Persons with disabilities need guidance and counseling to enable them to be productive
participants in society. However, such counseling must be broadly planned and organized
to cater for the varied interests of all involved.
Develop efficient time competence in students with special needs.
Promote capacity for psychological independence in students with special needs.
Empower students with special needs to take reasonable initiative to actualize themselves.
Make available to them the kind of counseling services that will re-educate their way of
judging themselves and others.
Develop and improve awareness of their own self and feelings.
Promote their ability to express their feelings in spontaneous manner.
Empower them to develop confidence and positive regard for themselves in relation to their
ability.
Develop their acceptance of self despite their deficiencies.
Make available to affected students relevant counseling services that will promote cognitive
behavioral changes in their approach to life.
Create their awareness and positive acceptance of life.
Develop meaningful contactful relationships with other human beings. B. Proposed Programme
Content/Services
To achieve the above stated objectives, the following services, theories and techniques should be
incorporated in the programme to enable students to understand themselves, adjust realistically
to life and its problems and to become productive and happy members of the society.
Orientation services
Cognitive behaviour modification
Stress and trauma management
Self-planning
Vocational guidance and counselling
Behaviour modification
Assertiveness training
Social skills training
Career day celebrations
Psycho-educational counseling