Mental Health
Short-term impacts of victimization may include shock and guilt at becoming a victim. Longer term effects may necessitate interventions, treatments, or other programs to help victims recover from their victimization. Victims may experience a loss of trust in society, which can make them suspicious of others, especially those who might remind them of the offender (Dinisman & Moroz, 2017). Victims also feel disempowered, distressed, and vulnerable, which can lead to increased psychological symptoms such as anxiety. Victims of crime, regardless of the type of crime, often experience decreased self-esteem and self-efficacy as well as increased symptoms of anxiety, anger, fear, depression, and hypervigilance (Dinisman & Moroz, 2017).
According to the Office for National Statistics, 81 percent of violent crime victims experience psychological effects, with 17 percent experiencing prolonged trauma. A literature review by Dinisman and Moroz (2017) stated that between 21 percent and 33 percent of violent crime victims develop significant mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, which can increase the risk of suicidal ideation and self-harm. Substance abuse and other risky behaviors can also be caused by victimization, which can, in turn, increase the potential for
revictimization. Long-term mental health impacts of victimization are just starting to be examined, and not much research is available on this yet.