Training Module on the Right to Mental Health for the Security Sector o Avoid even unintentional accusatory or incriminatory statements such as “What were you doing in that building so late at night?” These not only needlessly upset and retraumatize the victim but also erode trust, making further interview and treatment attempts extremely difficult. o Try not to overuse platitudes such as “Everything will be all right,” which will undoubtedly sound hollow and insincere to a victim whose world has just been shattered. o More helpful are simple, supportive, concrete statements such as, “It’s okay now. We’re going to go to a safe place so you can tell us what happened.” o Simple, nonjudgmental statements such as “I can understand why you’re upset” or “What can I do to help?” can ease the victim’s distress. o Listen to the victim if they want to talk, even if they digress, ramble, or stray off topic. Let them express emotion if they have to “get it all out.” o On the other end of the spectrum, tolerate silence without feeling compelled to jump in with a question or comment. Again, on this part, you may facilitate a role playing where the participants try to re-enact the following situations and exchanges of dialogue: When necessary, use a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questioning: OFFICER: “Can you remember what your attacker looked like? Tell me. About what age was he? Was he taller than me? Was he thin or stocky? What else can you remember? That’s all right— take your time.” If the victim seems to be getting more and more agitated, disoriented, or panicked during their narrative, employ diversionary reality questions: VICTIM: “The guy who jumped me in the clothing department was a new hire. I never saw it coming. He just started beating me. They never check the background of these new guys. We’re all going to be killed here. We’re all dead sooner or later.” OFFICER: “How many people work here?” VICTIM: “About thirty.” OFFICER: “Okay, was there anything different about the guy who jumped you? How long has he worked here?” • Present a Plan o Related to the issue of restoring control is having a clear plan to provide further structure and order to an otherwise overwhelming situation. o You don’t have to feel bound to follow the plan to the letter if contingencies change, but some structure is almost always better than none. 47