Forced silence: a neglected dimension of trauma.
The author describes one specific facet of the psychological trauma attendant upon physical violence - the implications of the victim's forced silence about the event. This prohibition of communication, enforced by some implicit or explicit threat, constitutes a secondary trauma of enormous import and has been ignored in the literature. Exploration of this concept can sensitize therapists and point the way toward empathetic and effective intervention.
D000328:Adult; D002649:Child Abuse; D003142:Communication; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008398:Masochism; D010553:Personality Development; D012649:Self Concept; D012652:Self Mutilation; D014754:Violence