At Red Snapper Managed Services (RSMS), we offer the Victim Awareness Hub via the Intervention Hub. But why is it important to support perpetrators to increase their Victim Awareness, and how do we achieve this?
Accountability:
Those that have offended may not fully grasp the consequences of their actions or the impact on their victims. The Victim Awareness Hub can provide a structured environment for individuals to confront the emotional and psychological consequences of their behaviour, making them more accountable for their actions.
Restorative Justice:
We aim to restore a sense of justice and healing to both victims and perpetrators. By participating in our courses, individuals can gain a better understanding of the harm their behaviour has caused to their victims, which can help foster empathy and a sense of responsibility.
Preventing Reoffending:
Research has shown that perpetrator rehabilitation programmes such as victim awareness courses, can be effective in reducing the likelihood of reoffending. (House of Lords, 2022) By increasing individuals’ awareness of the harm they’ve caused and providing tools to address their behaviour, such programmes can contribute to rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Empathy Development:
Developing empathy is a crucial aspect of rehabilitation for perpetrators. The Victim Awareness Hub can encourage participants to put themselves in the shoes of their victims, which can lead to a greater understanding of the emotional trauma and suffering their actions may have caused.
One of the key aspects of the Victim Awareness Hub is the CBT Triangle, this concept supports participants in identifying their Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours.
The CBT triangle helps illustrate the relationship between these three aspects of who we are as people. See below a breakdown of the components of the CBT triangle:
Behaviours: At the top of the triangle, you have behaviours-imagine the triangle as an iceberg with the top part poking out of the water, behaviours are someones actions, actions that can be seen by others. These actions can be positive or negative and may include offending behaviour/s. Emotions and thoughts can often feed in and lead to specific behaviours. For instance, if someone feels angry, they might engage in aggressive behaviour. The Victim Awareness hub can help individuals recognise that changing behaviours can have a significant impact on thoughts and emotions and vice versa.
Thoughts: At a bottom corner of the triangle, you have thoughts. In CBT, thoughts are considered a central element in influencing a person’s emotions and behaviours. These thoughts can be conscious or automatic, and they can be rational or irrational e.g. ‘I won’t let them get away with that’ or ‘I’m going to walk away. It’s not worth getting in trouble’. The Victim Awareness Hub aims to help individuals become more aware of their thought patterns, identify irrational or negative thoughts, and replace them with more constructive and balanced ones. (This can be described as green and red flag thoughts)
Emotions: On the other bottom side of the triangle, you have emotions or feelings. Thoughts can trigger various emotions and likewise, emotions can trigger certain thoughts. For example, if someone has negative or self-critical thoughts, they are likely to experience negative emotions like sadness, anxiety, or anger. This can help individuals understand the connection between their thoughts and emotions and teaches them how to manage and interupt their emotional responses.
We hope this has given you further insight into the Victim Awareness Hub and how such programmes can influence behaviour positive change. If you want to learn more about the Victim Awareness Hub visit the link below:
https://www.intervention-hub.com/the-victim-awareness-premium-hub/
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