Common thoughts and reactions from the mother and father
06.02.2007
By Grete Kvalheim
- Anger and aggression
- Murderous and vengeful thoughts about the perpetrator
- Mental confusion, uncertainty – how should we deal with this?
- Despair and a feeling of powerlessness
- A feeling of being unable to talk to anyone about what’s happened. What should we tell the family? The neighbours? People close by, families and friends?
- Your child doesn’t want to talk to you, shuts you out – but you can see they’re hurting and need help
- How do you get help? What’s available?
- The father withdraws into himself, reacts by distancing himself, works a lot or leaves the room whenever the rape is mentioned. Is often unable to show his despair
- The mother feels helpless or angry because the father reacts so differently to her – she needs his help and support
- It’s painful to see their child changing
- It’s difficult to deal with the child’s depression
- It’s hard to leave the child in peace, not to fuss!
- You feel afraid of your child. Scared that the perpetrator will seek revenge
- The situation demands a lot of you – you have to try to understand something you find incomprehensible
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