The Continuum of Victim to Survivor: Trauma-Informed Principles and the Impact of Language

Document Type : Mini-review

Authors

1 PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work Education, Faculty, Widener University, Chester PA 19013

2 DSW, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work Widener University, Chester PA 19013

3 MSS, LCSW, Professor, Department of Social Work Widener University, Chester PA 19013

10.30491/tm.2023.394380.1586

Abstract

As knowledge regarding trauma has evolved, debates around language have also emerged among healthcare professionals. These debates include the meaning of terms such as victim and survivor. As a result, professionals across the medical and behavioral healthcare fields must attend to the language of trauma and the unique ways in which individuals express their traumatic experiences. In this article, we provide a perspective on how Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) trauma-informed care (TIC) principles (i.e., safety, trust, choices, collaboration, and empowerment) can be implemented as an approach to the language of trauma used by healthcare providers. We discuss the nuances of trauma-informed language and consider the influence of sociocultural factors, diversity, and neurodiversity.

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Trauma Monthly
Volume 28, Issue 5
November and December 2023
Pages 922-926

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 April 2023
  • Revise Date: 15 June 2023
  • Accept Date: 20 September 2023

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