Psychology of the victim

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* Discuss the controversy of forgiveness versus revenge and what are your impressions on it.
Working definitions given for forgiveness is the "Act of compassionately releasing the desire to punish someone or yourself for an offense. Revenge is the desire to get even when somebody does you wrong" (Orloff, n.d.). According to Orloff, if you suffered child abuse, the healing process of recovering from abuse requires a lot of compassion that comes from obtaining support from other sexual abuse survivors. She asserts that you are not excusing the person's behavior, but coming to grips with your own "brokenness and suffering".

According to Murphy (2003), even as the virtues of forgiveness are asserted, it should also be recognized that victims deserve to have their feelings "respected and vindicated". He asserts that forgiveness is a prescription for moral and mental health; whereas vindictiveness is irrational and immoral. Murphy further argues that while we value forgiveness, at the same time we advocate harsher punishment for criminals.

Cosgrove and Konstam (2008) notes that forgiveness is a helpful counseling tool to aid with problems such as substance abuse, cancer, and relationships. They assert while there is no consensus regarding a definition for forgiveness, there is a consensus that forgiveness is associated with releasing anger, resentment; and not seeking revenge.

* Using two factors as Physical Illnesses and language proficiency, explain in detail how they may affect an approach in interviewing and assessing a victim. Support the responses using examples and references.

Communication skills are necessary to be effective enough to know that the counselor has his or her best interests at heart while working toward therapeutic relationship. Sollind (2006) asserts that the interview is a situation in which power fluctuates between the interviewer and the interviewee. For instance, women are unlikely to feel uncomfortable when interviewing men who have raped and/or murdered other women. She must learn to hide her disgust. For example, the interviewer will be reluctant to show feelings of disgust as she learns of the heinous crimes he has committed.

Another feeling that an interviewer is likely to display is worry that comes from the fear of interviewing someone who is experiencing stress from a debilitating disease (e.g. cancer) or death. Booth, Maquire, & Heller (1999) conducted a study with cancer patients and found that nurses expressed their feelings ...