Victim Family Support
Nothing prepares one to hear the words, “Shaken Baby Syndrome” or “Your loved one has been the victim of a vicious assault.”
One minute life is normal, the next, everything is turned upside down. Most family members tell of experiencing the stages of grief that are typical during a loss, whether their child or loved one survives or not.
The most common emotions our family members tell us they experience are denial and anger. One does not want to believe that someone you loved and/or trusted to care for your child or loved one could be capable of hurting them so badly. We desperately want to believe there is another explanation, any other possible way that this terrible thing could have happened.
When we become educated and understand the mechanism of the injuries our loved one has experienced, that is when the anger begins. We may direct our anger at medical personnel, law enforcement, child protection team members, or the legal community. Or we may direct our anger at the person who caused the injury and have to be restrained from doing something we may regret later that would take us away from caring for our baby or loved one.
It is very important to surround yourself with as much support as possible. Ask questions and be actively involved in your child or loved one’s care. It is important to have someone you trust to confide in during the roller coaster of emotions you may feel. Every loss is individual. Our goal is to let family members know they are not alone in this journey.
We provide support to families who are often left behind and not served by other programs by sharing information and resources for victims of child physical abuse, elder abuse, or the abuse of people with disabilities. These services are offered at no charge to the victim/family members.