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And, manipulating others is the perp's usual way of relating to others. He or she shrewdly capitalizes on the victim's emotional confusion.
After the victim's cause fails in the first legal forum, the matter may advance to an appeals court or a regulatory body, such as a securities commission.
As the battle continues, the victim's financial resources dwindle, which is what the perpetrator has counted on. If a victim contacts a member of Congress to reform a law, because he feels he was injured due to a loophole, he is likely to be told that legislative matters cannot be mingled with an ongoing judicial matter, such as a court appeal.
By the time of legal defeat, the victim's lifestyle probably has materially changed. Credit may be ruined, a home may have been foreclosed on.
Eventually, the victim is totally demoralized.
Says Huffer, "The person keeps saying, 'What is a person of principle to do in society today?' At this point they're beyond rage. It's stark helplessness. They've lost their sense of justice. Their belief system is in disarray. Instead of an expression of rage, it's an implosion," or turning inward. The victim may take up drinking, or otherwise isolate himself from others.
Self-doubt is very strong among victims. They may not want to discuss their experience with others, even though venting can be therapeutic. They are embarrassed to have been duped - unlike "innocent" victims of violent crime - and don't want to be perceived as stupid or foolish.
The symptoms of the post-trauma stress may now appear. Victims can be in a state of physical and mental exhaustion.
While victims of violent crime can sometimes be partially compensated for their losses through a victims fund, a victim of quiet crime rarely has that option, notes Huffer. Deteriorating health also may be related to the trauma, such as severe depression. But it may never be acknowledged by an insurance company as such, making coverage of treatment sometimes harder to obtain.
Huffer is the first to admit that she has not yet scientifically studied the phenomenon. But she is encouraged by the results of an open lecture she gave on the topic in the summer. "I got a tremendous response," she recalls of a one-night talk, "Beyond Rage," which she gave at Montevista Hospital. I expected 10 (in the audience). There were 47 reserved."
Her interest in the topic arises partly out of Huffer's personal experience. She says her husband, who was involved in property development, suffered the loss of a $5 million estate, even though debts amounted to only $2 million, due to actions of parties that were never found guilty of fraud. The legal process seven years, resulting in dismissal of the Huffer's suit.
Yet, she tries to minimize persona dimension. "As a therapist, I have to be careful to make sure I'm not projecting my feelings (onto clients)."
Recently, Huffer has been involved in the formation of a local grass-roots group that calls itself CITRE, which stands for Victims of Invisible Crime Treatment, Restoration and Education. The group is networking with similar organizations in California, Arizona, Texas and Connecticut. She says its plans include formation of a support group and other activities, such as monitoring of courts.
To continue studying the question of quiet crime, Huffer invites members of the public who believe they have been victimized to participate in a survey. Those interested in learning more about VICTRE or the survey, can call 593-9925 [NOTE: phone number no longer applicable. To participate in survey, send an e-mail request to REDRESS2@redressinc.org , and note "STUDY PARTICIPANT" in the subject line.
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