Westminster Psychotherapy

TRAUMA AND SUPPORT FROM PSYCHOLOGISTS AND LAWYERS

Briefly, trauma is an experience of being in a terrifying situation, in which you may have felt helpless and fearful and this may also involve threat to yourself or you witnessing someone else's life being threatened. In this situation, your body works hard to help you cope physiologically, emotionally and psychologically, however how your body processes this complex experience will depend on a number factors.

The experience of trauma may be followed by development of highly unpleasant post traumatic symptoms which may persist days, months and years after the incident and it may include unpleasant thoughts or feelings and in particular fear, shame and guilt, nightmares, anger and illusions of being in the moment again and dissociations, in which sometimes you may feel as though time has stopped and everything seems to be a dream or surreal.

Examples of trauma in children and adults
* Child sexual abuse
* Crashes
* Natural disasters
* Domestic violence
* Persistent psychological, emotional, physical harassment, bullying in workplace, schools or at home
* Bullying
* War trauma

The good news is that you don't have to bear these unpleasant dark memories on your own because these symptoms can be addressed and controlled through counselling or psychotherapy and you can gain your sense of control again.

BULLYING, HARRASSMENT AND LEGAL SUPPORT SYSTEM:
The Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Teresa May (HM, Government, 2010) outlined in The Equality Strategy that the government is dedicated to addressing bullying from young age and in schools. Unfortunately, the older generations will not be able to benefit from this plan to change cultures and attitudes and may have to continue seeking support in the legislation. This sections explains legal support in relation to workplace bullying.

According to Payton (2003) who is a chartered psychologist and who assists in writing policies, training, mediating and counselling victims, there has been over the years an upsurge in successful litigation, although many victims believe that they cannot be compensated for their suffering by financial compensation. The causes of bullying are related to bullying behaviour in relation to disability, gender, sexual orientation and these are areas that can be legally addressed by the Equality Act 2010: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/pdfs/ukpga_20100015_en.pdf

Bullying behaviours can be also dealt with under the criminal law and more specifically under The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 that provides protection from stalking and persistent bullying. The workplace bullying can be recognised as a criminal offence, because it is defined above as unsolicited and it is harassment, and it is a criminal offence when people are put in the fear of violence. Payton (2003: p. 71) reviewed the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and its relevance to workplace bullying by quoting sections in the Act: 'Section 1(1) provides that: A person must not pursue a course of conduct - a) which amounts to harassment of another, and b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other. Section 1(2) states further: A person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other. Section 7 of the Act provides that: - references to harassing a person include alarming the person or causing the person distress; - a 'course of conduct' must involve conduct on at least two occasions; - 'conduct includes speech. The offence of putting people in fear of violence is provided for in Section 4(1) and (2) as follows: A person whose course of conduct causes another to fear, on at least two occasions, that violence will be used against him is guilty of an offence if he knows or ought to know that his course of conduct will cause the other to fear on each of those occasions'.

Keashly (1998) who reviewed international literature on bullying, narrowed and further defined bullying as emotional abuse and The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994) is particularly relevant to emotional abuse in public places which includes the work environment. The section 4A(1) of The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994 provides that 'A person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, he/she (a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening abusive or insulting, thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress' (Payton, 2003: p. 72). 'Seward (1998) notes that the definition requires proof that the perpetrator 'intended to cause harassment' and 'section 4A(2) makes it clear that the offence can be committed in public or private places but excludes private dwellings' (Payton, 2003: p.72).

Payton, P.R. (2003). Dignity at Work. Eliminate Bullying and Create a Positive Working Environment. UK: Brunner-Routledge.

If you would like to book an appointment please email Leona: lsears@westminsterpsychotherapy.co.uk or text/call Leona on 07 505 124 933.