00:00When it comes to the victims of certain crimes, their personal information is entrusted to
00:06those who have the ability to help. However, sometimes that highly personal information
00:11finds its way into the public domain. Clinical psychologist Denise Jetan Johnson says
00:17it serves to cause more harm. So when a victim's personal information is leaked,
00:22whether it's their name, photo, or details of what would have happened, it can be re-traumatizing
00:30and equally devastating as the incident itself. Yeah? They're already dealing with the trauma
00:38and now with being exposed to public scrutiny and shame, and in some cases, even threats and blame
00:47about what would have happened. It's like re-experiencing the trauma all over again,
00:53but this time it's in front of an audience. Jetan Johnson says that it opens victims up to
00:59unsolicited and unfiltered scrutiny. And this kind of re-traumatization could lead to increased anxiety,
01:07increased isolation, and even long-term emotional harm. She tells us she has encountered many people
01:14during the course of her profession who have faced the publicizing of their personal and traumatic
01:19experiences. Oftentimes, there is a lack of ownership and responsibility on the part of those
01:26posting the information. And that can be an act of violence in itself. And when public opinion
01:33shifts against the victim and when the public space of discussion
01:41is not a safe discussion to be had, it often not only affects the victim themselves,
01:48but it also affects persons who may have been victim to similar crimes.
01:54She says it can serve to silence them and even interfere with investigations. The psychologist also
02:01reveals that victims usually keep certain aspects of what transpired away from people who are close to
02:07them, which becomes futile when their information is publicized. Why is that?
02:13Sometimes it's out of protection of their family because thinking about what that vicarious trauma
02:20might mean is now parents or siblings or friends might be themselves traumatized by hearing about what
02:32somebody close to them had gone through. Maybe they would internalize some of the guilt that maybe I
02:40could have protected them, that maybe I could have been there, maybe I could have helped them.
02:44Jetan Johnson is calling on people to think twice before posting and sharing personal information of
02:50victims, saying just because information is out there, it doesn't mean it is ours to share.
02:56Each story that we share is attached to a person, it's attached to a family. And think to yourselves,
03:04if it were your sister, your friend, your child or even you, would you want your pain to be tuned
03:11into another shareable post? Yeah, so pause and think before you share because it's an act of
03:18protecting the victims as well. Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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