This brochure provides information for you regarding your rights as a victim or witness of a robbery and suggestions to assist you in coping with this traumatic event. The Mesa Police Department Victim Services Unit hopes this information will be helpful to you. 

Critical Incident Stress Information

A robbery can be a very traumatic event to experience. Even though it is now over, you may be experiencing some strong emotional or physical reactions. Sometimes these reactions occur immediately after the event, and sometimes they occur days, weeks, or even months afterward. Everyone copes with trauma differently, and all of these responses are normal reactions to a very abnormal event. If, however, they do not lessen in intensity or you find them becoming intrusive in your daily life, you may want to talk to a counselor, clergy member, friend, family member, or other victims. Mesa Police Department Victim Services can assist you in finding appropriate support serivces.

Common Crisis Reactions

Physical:

• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Headaches
• Dizziness or fainting
• Visual difficulties
• Shortness of breath/rapid pulse
• Lack of energy/exhaustion
• Profuse sweating
• Sleep/appetite disruption
• Illness or body aches

Mental and Emotional:

• Numbing, disbelief, bewilderment
• Anger and irritability
• Fear and frustration
• Feelings of powerlessness
• Sadness and grief
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Inappropriate emotional response
• Lack of concentration
• Difficulty in communicating
• Short and long term memory problems

Helping Yourself Toward Recovery

• Structure your time/keep busy
• Maintain as normal a schedule as possible
• Increase your physical exercise
• Talk to people about your feelings
• Limit the use of alcohol and drugs
• Give yourself permission to feel bad 
• Do nice things for yourself
• Do not make any major life decisions
• Keep a journal
• Help others involved in the incident by sharing your feelings and asking how they are doing
• Get plenty of rest
• Eat regularly and nutritionally (The Nutrition Almanac recommends supplementing your diet with Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, Calcium and magnesium)
• Reoccurring thoughts, dreams or flashbacks are normal. Don't try to fight them. They will decrease over time and become less painful.
• Remember, you are reacting normally to an abnormal situation.

Your Rights as a Victim

• The right to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity.
• The right to be free from intimidation, harassment or abuse throughout the criminal or juvenile justice process.
• The right to be notified of court proceedings, and to be present at all public court proceedings related to the offense.
• The right to restitution.
• The right to information about the conviction, sentencing, imprisonment and release of the offender.

These are only some of your rights. As a victim, some rights are given to you automatically and some rights need to be requested by you.