‘Please be patient’

A Criminal Psychologist attached to the Ministry of Social Services Delivery, Office of the Prime Minister, Dr Stanley Bishop, has called on families, relatives and friends of kidnapped victims to be patient with them after the trauma. Dr Bishop expalined that a person who has experienced kidnapping shuts down emotionally/psychologically and enters a phase of questioning and confusion that comes along with the effects of the situation. “Sometimes they may look as if they are in a daze,” he explained, “when this happens, they are trying to re-align their present world with their recent past.” Dr Bishop said this is considered healthy since it is a sign that they are beginning to come out of the trauma. He said at this time, immediate family, relatives and friends ought to understand his/her behaviour and not question, nor patronise the victim. He said if the family does this, the victim can fall into a panic or anxiety attack which can lead to paranoia.

Dr Bishop said these attacks happen when they start remembering the incident/s and their breathing intensifies. “They may not want to eat nor to be held and will become very suspicious,” he said. “They may even question their existence and say ‘Why me?’ ” Dr Bishop said they may feel as if they are being punished and the family must allow the victim to talk and vent their anger and frustrations but only when they are ready. He explained that in trying to force information out of the victim before he/she is ready, can put him/her in danger of what he described as “fugue” or brain lock, which could further lead to amnesia. He said the victim’s ability to come out of the trauma depends a lot on patience and support from the family. As for the family that experiences having someone kidnapped or killed as a result of a kidnapping, they too will become suspicious of people. Dr Bishop said because of panic and bad judgement, they may want to escape their environment, which is why their first reaction will usually be to flee the country. He added that one of the first people they point fingers at is the Ministry of National Security since they are looking for someone to blame. Dr Bishop said even now, a number of families who were affected by kidnappings are saying that the Ministry is not doing anything and the kidnappers are just “taking care of business” as usual.