Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139:872-876
Copyright © 1982 by American Psychiatric Association
Forced silence: a neglected dimension of trauma
ED Lister
The author describes one specific facet of the psychological trauma
attendant upon physical violence - the implications of the victim's forced
silence about the event. This prohibition of communication, enforced by
some implicit or explicit threat, constitutes a secondary trauma of
enormous import and has been ignored in the literature. Exploration of this
concept can sensitize therapists and point the way toward empathetic and
effective intervention.
