For those who have a beef to settle, it is becoming more disturbingly common these days to be vociferous with threats and follow through with actions that result in serious injury or death. The idea of "live and let live" is headed to obsolescence as evidenced by recent events that have resulted in senseless, tragic deaths and damaging consequences. The trend is, to say the least, troubling.
Intolerance, bigotry, hate, ignorance, insecurity, and the quest for power and control are just some of the various elements that feed into this mix of criminal victimization. Individuals who are going about their lives become innocent victims at the hands of those who selfishly and obsessively attempt to restructure the world into one that is mired in their dysfunction and fueled by disillusionment and a warped sense of entitlement.
Recent events in the nation's capital and elsewhere demonstrate the essence of this problematic tendency that is adding innocent victims daily to the tally sheets of crime. Stephen T. Johns, a Wackenhut guard who was employed at the U. S. Holocaust Museum was shot and killed by James W. von Brunn, 88, who was obsessed with ideas steeped in philosophies embracing white supremacy. Johns was a father, a son, a husband, and someone well liked and respected by his friends and colleagues. While at his job, he became an innocent victim of crime.
In Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Christopher Jones, a 14-year-old boy, was brutally beaten to death by teenagers. The son of a corporal in the Prince George's County (MD) Sheriff's Department, Christopher became a victim because the alleged 14-and 16- year-old perpetrators of this crime, who are thought to be members of a gang, mistakenly believed Christopher was associated with a rival gang. The indifference to the value of human life was enacted by these youths who allegedly caused Christopher's untimely death. Like Stephen Johns, Christopher Jones became an innocent victim of crime.
In Wichita, Kansas, Dr. George Tiller was performing controversial late-term abortions that were considered abhorrent by some. One Sunday, while he ushered at his church, Dr. Tiller was shot to death. His murder, similar to that of Stephen Johns and Christopher Jones, was seemingly rooted in vengeance. He, too, became a victim of crime.
In Vassalboro, Maine, the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop burned to the ground, and arson was determined to be the cause. The owner, Donald Crabtree, did not have insurance on the business. In the town of 4,500 people, there were some who were perturbed to learn that Mr. Crabtree had talked to city officials about transforming the shop into something more analogous to a strip club. Shortly thereafter, the place burned to the ground and was a total loss. Mr. Crabtree became an unwitting victim of crime.
The repercussion of these crimes and others like them spread far and wide. The secondary victimization they evoke involves shock and profound loss. There is unrelenting and unquestionable concern. For most, it is hard to fathom how the primary and direct victims can become the target of others who possess such internalized and misdirected animus that they progress to the point of extremism and, unhesitatingly, commit such unconscionable, violent acts.
Secondary victims can be family members, friends, colleagues, and even communities. A secondary victim does not necessarily have to be formally acquainted with the direct victim but may be traumatized simply by being near the victim, in the vicinity of the incident or surrounding community at the time the event occurred. Even repeated media exposure describing and depicting tragic and horrific occurrences can enhance the secondary victimization felt by individuals, groups, and communities.
In the case of the shooting at the Holocaust Museum, Mr. Johns was the direct victim. His family members are the secondary victims of his death because they are directly impacted by the loss of their loved one. However, anyone in or around the Holocaust Museum at the time is also a secondary victim. Mr. John's co-workers, the supervisory staff, and all the visitors who were there at the time experienced the horror and shock of the event that left many including the two guards who returned fire at the perpetrator and who happened to be former police officers shaken.
The same holds true for the family and friends of Christopher Jones and his family. Colleagues of the victim's father who work at the Prince George's County Sheriff's Department, and deal with crime on a daily basis, experienced secondary victimization in a more personal manner because of their association with the victim's father. Many who work in the criminal justice system, as well as those residing in surrounding communities, were stunned by the news. Even those who were not personally acquainted with Christopher or his family grieve his senseless loss at such a young age. A parent can identify with the grief the Jones family is enduring and can identify with the profound and gut-wrenching heartache that ensues from losing a child.
The murder of Dr. Tiller affected his former patients as well as his colleagues, family, and friends. Though the nature of his work was not accepted in many circles, those people in his personal and professional network probably never imagined they would ever become secondary victims of crime. The reality of having to deal with the homicide of Dr. Tiller abruptly intruded into their lives and placed their individual worlds in turmoil.
And, Mr. Crabtree, in Vassalboro, Maine, understood his concept of a coffee shop was different; however, he probably never imagined someone in the small, tightly connected town would ever reach beyond the limit of being disgruntled to the point of committing the destructive act of arson.
Hatred, bigotry, and intolerance breed both direct and secondary victimization. As a result, lives of individuals are tremendously impacted, and communities are greatly affected. Trust is frequently shattered, confidence is undermined, faith is eroded, and hope becomes disillusioned. Alone or together everyone feels victimized.
Law enforcement, victim services, and social services must continue to engage in collaborative efforts regarding crime prevention. Individuals and communities require ongoing knowledge and increased awareness to combat hatred, bigotry, and intolerance. The development of ways and means to foster healthy relationships that embrace tolerance and prioritize cooperation will go a long way in diminishing the impact of secondary victimization that evolves from destructive and deadly violent acts resulting in senseless and tragic consequences.