{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1835272,
        "msgid": "psychologist-victim-blaming-can-prolong-trauma-for-abuse-survivors-1782924838",
        "date": "2026-07-01 23:20:02",
        "title": "Psychologist: Victim blaming can prolong trauma for abuse survivors",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "A psychologist has warned that victim blaming significantly hinders the recovery of abuse survivors by prolonging their trauma. Samanta Clara Elsener from the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI) explained that a supportive environment is crucial for healing, whereas blaming the victim fosters shame and discourages them from seeking help. She urged the public to practice empathy and avoid making judgemental comments, particularly on social media, to create a safer space for survivors.",
        "content": "<p>Psychologist Samanta Clara Elsener, S.Psi, M.Psi, stated that victim\nblaming, a behaviour where the victim is held responsible in cases of\nviolence, can prolong trauma. \u201cIn psychological practice, a supportive\nenvironmental response is one of the important factors in the trauma\nrecovery process. Conversely, victim blaming can actually prolong trauma\nand hinder the healing process,\u201d Samanta said when contacted by ANTARA\nfrom Jakarta on Wednesday. The psychologist, who is a member of the\nIndonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI), said that victim blaming\noften occurs in society due to reasons such as the belief that the world\nis just, leading people to seek fault in the victim to feel safe\nthemselves. Additionally, there is still low literacy regarding the\npsychological impact of violence, as well as a tendency to view cases or\nevents only from perspectives with limited information. Yet on the other\nhand, victims experience threats, fear, manipulation, and control every\nday. \u201cThey not only carry wounds from the violence they experienced, but\nalso have to face guilt because they feel held responsible for what\nhappened. As a result, survivors can become increasingly ashamed, lose\nself-confidence, be reluctant to seek help, and even choose to remain\nsilent for fear of being judged again,\u201d she said. Samanta also assessed\nthat victims who experience prolonged violence often face psychological\nconditions that make it difficult for them to leave the dangerous\nrelationship. In such cases, perpetrators also frequently use\npsychological control, intimidation, threats, social isolation, and\nemotional manipulation, making the victim feel completely dependent.\nThis condition severely disrupts the victim\u2019s ability to make decisions,\nthink clearly, and assess risks. \u201cSo, the difficulty victims have in\nescaping is not because they do not want to survive, but because their\nsurvival system is operating under conditions of extreme trauma,\u201d she\nadded. \u201cHaving empathy means acknowledging that every alleged victim has\nthe right to be treated with respect, to be heard, and not to be blamed\nfor the violence they may have experienced,\u201d she stressed. According to\nher, before responding or commenting on cases of violence, especially on\nsocial media, one needs to consider whether the comment will help the\nvictim or worsen their wounds. One should also consider whether all the\nfacts of the incident are known and ensure that the assessment is not\nbased on personal understanding or mere assumptions. \u201cA healthy society\nis not one that is quickest to judge, but one that is able to provide a\nsense of safety for victims to speak up and get help,\u201d she said.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/psychologist-victim-blaming-can-prolong-trauma-for-abuse-survivors-1782924838",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}