Lisa-Joe Hampton nodded appreciatively at Sabrina. She flipped through her binder and seemed to find the appropriate page, then lifting her head to meet Dr. Barrow's.
“Now, Dr. Barrow can you please tell us about how most humans process extreme emotional trauma like sexual abuse. I realize people react as individuals but give us a few likely scenarios.”
Dr. Barrow seemed to consider the question carefully, staring at Lisa-Joe as if trying to understand her reasoning behind asking him. He removed his glasses and cleaned them as he spoke, seemingly soothed by the repetitive nature of cleaning something.
“Well, I’m generalizing of course, but many react by feeling violated. Feelings of powerlessness are common, as if ‘my own weakness let this happen.’ It leads to self doubt, self blaming and extreme cases identifying with their attacker in some way. ‘I brought this on myself’ is the logic. Other reactions include an acute stress reaction that can become post traumatic. This can include amnesia, aversion to certain stimuli, blocking out the event, panic attacks, suicidality and other less than desirable outcomes. This is if they receive no treatment of course.”
Lisa-Joe nodded as if she wasn’t surprised to hear much of this. “Of course Dr. Barrow. Now tell me more about the amnesia you mentioned. Can you be more specific?”
“Well, some people block out parts of the experience, some dissociate in the moment of the attack, and others still repress the entire situation. This is the outcome that is the most harmful as what’s not talked out is acted out.”
“What does that mean doctor?”
Dr. Barrow looked increasingly nervous on the stand. It seemed Ms. Hampton had deviated from the approved list of questions. “Well, I don’t want to bore any of you with clinical theory but the basic idea is that when we don’t process an event and heal it comes out in our behavior or thoughts. Kicking the dog instead of yelling at your partner for example. The dog did nothing but is an object for your pain, rage, etc.”
“So a victim can lash out is what you’re saying?”
Dr. Barrow narrowed his eyes and looked at Lisa-Joe with a bit of hate. “Although crudely put, yes. Victims can lash out at allies, rivals, or just people on the street. The more common reaction is to internalize it and take it out on the self though. I hope that’s clear.”
“Crystal clear. Doctor, can you tell us about the psychology of someone who perpetrates sexual abuse?”
“Well, while the motivations are often different, power and control are big reasons people commit acts of sexual violence. Lack of empathy is another. If you don’t see your victim as - and please forgive the word choice - human, then it’s easier to abscond something from them without taking their feelings into account. Lastly, I’d say perpetrators are often victims in the past, perhaps not of sexual abuse but something. This is less clinical and more my personal feelings but evil is created, not born.”
Lisa had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at the idea that Lazarus was anything but evil. She asked Dr. Barrow a few more follow ups, specifically about the differences between how vampires might react versus humans.
“Well, vampires are immortal which means trauma has a lot longer to kill the part of them that was connected to the world. Empathy keeps vampires alive. If you lose it, killing, selfish actions and even sexual abuse all become easier. The less human we become, the more like monsters we become. The same thing can happen to victims. If untreated, it can rot their souls.”
“Thank you Dr. Barrow. Your testimony has been very helpful. No further questions.”
Dr. Barrow looked to Lazarus, assuming he’d want to cross examine him. If not he’d return to his seat, his face a lot more annoyed then when he took the stand.
Drew listened in to all the psychobabble and scoffed. Drew hated therapists, and shrinks and the whole lot. His muscular arms were placed over his chest defensively and he looked at Dr. Barrow like he was a fly that needed to be swatted. He suddenly wished his flask had more in it, as he clearly wasn’t drunk enough to hear this. He’d liked the opening statement from the southern redhead, and liked the comeback from the perp even more, laughing audibly at the quib. However, now he was angry. What was the point of this guy? He was obviously just a quack. He was hot, but so were most of the vampires in here. He suddenly wished Zeph was next to him. He felt alone next to Astrid, Murphy, and the Purple Earl.
Journal:
The trial started off slow, some British ninny going on and on about trauma. It’s all bullshit anyways. You either can handle your bullshit or you make excuses. I don’t have to make excuses because I drink. Take that you fucking Malk asshole.
Jake hadn’t known this was something Lisa-Joe had cooked up and he was one part proud, two parts mortified. She was setting up both he and Ben, and even Sam a bit. She was trying to explain why their stories might differ. It was clever, but he wasn’t sure if it would work. People liked things that were face value, and he doubted Zoheret or Charon would care at all about layers of trauma and likely reactions. The part about suicide made him sink in his chair, and with Murphy's hand occupied by a pen, Jake simply matched the posture of the hulking figure a few seats down from him.
If Lazarus chose to ask Dr. Barrow any questions he would stay, otherwise Lisa-Joe would call Ben to the stand. The real trial was starting.
