REDISCOVERING ADDITIONAL GROUPS OF VICTIMS
This process—in which people whose plight was recognized long ago but is neglected for many years until it finally attracts the attention it deserves—goes on and on with no end in sight. Some rediscovered groups that have received a great deal of study and support include abused children, battered women; females who have suf- fered date rapes; kidnapped youngsters; people targeted by bigots; individuals attacked by enraged motorists; pedestrians, passengers, and drivers killed in collisions caused by drunk dri- vers; and prisoners sexually assaulted by fellow inmates or members of the custodial staff. The suffering of other groups unfortunately is also becoming quite well known and increasingly attended to: students shot in high schools and colleges, employees subjected to workplace vio- lence, and police officers assaulted and fired at by felons.
And yet, there are still other groups under the radar or waiting in the wings to be rediscovered by those academics and scholars, practitioners, social movements, elected officials, the news media, and commercial interests who continue to drive the process forward. A steady stream of fresh revelations serves as a reminder that these neglected groups still are “out there” and that they have compelling stor- ies to tell, unmet needs, and legitimate demands for assistance and support. Usually, they continue to escape public notice until some highly unusual or horrific incident reveals how they are being harmed. The types of victims whose plight is now being rediscovered—but who require much more scrutiny and analysis, and creative remedies—are listed in Box 2.2.