Indirect Victims of Terrorism

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Following the largest terrorist attack on US on September 11, 2001, the nation has changed forever. The number of victims was tremendous: thousands have died or went missing. However, these innocent people who died as a result of the act are direct victims. Many forget that are still tens of thousands who knew someone who was killed or heard about the attack. These people are indirect victims because they also suffered even though not physically but mentally. In addition, even terrorists themselves are also victims: some of their religious believes, some of the strong commitment to the orders of their leaders.

Terrorist violence affects people at all levels of involvement. Bereaved family members, rescue workers, friends, volunteers and witnesses are all indirect victims. Thousands were killed in the attack of September 11, 2002, 259 were killed on the plane and 11 on the ground during the bombing of Pan-Am Flight in 1988, 168 victims were killed at the Oklahoma City attack in 1995. However, it is impossible to calculate the number of indirect victims, but, for sure, it exceeds number of direct victims many times.

Terrorism destroys the sense of security and safety which are usual feelings for people not only on the individual level but also at the community level. People need to seeing world as predictable and controllable environment and terrorism challenges this natural need. Family members of the direct victims suffer the most and perceive the world as unstable place to live. The emotional problems are so big that many are even afraid to go outside because of fear to face terrorism in the neighborhood.

Many studies have proved that violence creates long lasting mental and health effect, even greater than natural accidents. Indirect victims feel that what happened to others is injustice. The consequences are anger, feeling of helplessness, fear and sometimes a desire for revenge. If the terrorist attack is on national level, then survivors start to develop some kind of stereotyping and discrimination to the nation whose citizens participated in this attack. Racial profiling in the airports today of the travelers of Asian origin is a vivid example of the fear of people to be attacked again.

The most wide-spread stress of the indirect victims is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

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