Abuse - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Be sensitive for the possibility of prior exposure to severe violence, such as a personal or family history of trauma from torture, mutilation, war atrocities, gang rape, arson, bombings, lynchings, or other extreme forms of violence. Prior exposure to other forms of violence may exacerbate the effects of domestic violence.
- National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies on Domestic Violence, p. 94
Be sensitive to the person's perception of authority figures. For example, some people may have experienced violence and atrocities in their homeland at the hands of government authorities, making them fearful of accepting government services. Others may have experienced abuses of power by police and may be reluctant to report abuse to the police since they fear maltreatment either of themselves or of the abuser by the police.
- National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, Guidelines for Spiritual Assemblies on Domestic Violence, p. 94
Quote of the Day
Jalal 16 Mulk 182 B.E.
With regard to the things of the spirit they are as lifeless as a stone; nor do they wish to be otherwise . . . But man's ambition should soar above this -- he should ever look higher than himself, ever upward and onward, until through the Mercy of God he may come to the Kingdom of Heaven.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá – Paris Talks, p. 71