We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to host a talk by Ruth Harrison, at the FJ Clarke Lecture Theatre on January 17, this year. Ruth was a visiting Fellow of the Exeter University, Department of Mental Health, in the UK. The title of her talk was, ‘Ordinary Days & Shattered Lives’.

The aim of her presentation was to raise the awareness of the complex issues woven around disaster victim identification (DVI) and to promote understanding and good practice in dealing with families who are suddenly and violently bereaved.

Ruth gave us insight into various aspects of her remarkable research, as well as the benefits derived from ongoing practical application of its findings. She described the immediate reactions she’d experienced from some of those unfortunate relatives. These were put into five categories: Disbelief, Numbness, Anger, Guilt and Overwhelming Grief.

To support her research, she’d gathered anecdotal evidence from Police Family Liaison Officers and major disasters such as: Marchioness Inquiry: Ladbroke Grove Rail-crash and Inquiry: Hatfield Derailment: Video Footage from Lucy Garcia:

Ruth’s presentation went into fine detail of many of the consequential complex issues associated with major disaster and grief. These ranged from people not having time to say goodbye, memory loss, lack of concentration, gender differences, issues involving children, needs of different individuals and cultural factors.

Ruth had found that the delicate matter of visual identification of deceased people was made a little easier by the adoption of well-tried strategies. She and her colleagues had better outcomes when they had used the victim’s name, and discussed with the relatives what to expect of the identification process well before it took place. Often overlooked factors such as the description of the route they would take to the mortuary (some British mortuaries are rather grim … reached by tunnel, etc.); the nature and detail of the injuries, skin colour, body temperature and odour, made it less traumatic for the relatives when discussed beforehand.

Ruth recommended that where more than one family member is killed, bodies should be placed together. This removes the need for relatives to choose one family member before another, and thereby obviates feelings of guilt.

Other key factors to emerge were the value of providing clear and honest information – free from complicated language. Being proactive and telling the family that you are there to help, and by asking what kind of help do they need, was found to be one of the best support strategies. As Ruth told the meeting, “You can never make things better, but you can make them less bad”.

Another key factor discovered by Ruth was the importance of letting relatives know when the victim has no facial injuries. She found that a relative leaving the victim in those circumstances enhanced the sense of disbelief of the death. One mother was quoted as saying, “The hardest thing I ever did was leaving her there, I thought that I was leaving just when she needed me most”.

A disturbing fact to arise from this research was that about 30% of people discuss suicidal ideation following the identification of a loved one. To manage this it was suggested that by offering a lock of hair, providing written information, giving them a notebook, allowing sufficient time and always telling the family what will happen next, reduces suicidal intent.

The most vulnerable people in death and major disaster incidents were identified as; witnesses to the event, anybody with a health problem, pregnant women, men who live alone, lone twins, older people, children, and those people who have suffered recent previous loss.

With non-viewable identification suggested strategies were, to give information slowly and clearly, discuss means of ID and what this means, when DNA is used consider lineage and issues around this (a lighter statistic was given, showing about 10% of English people do not have the father they thought they had – in Scotland this went up to around 30%).

When viewing the body is not possible this has been found to add to the sense of disbelieve in the death. However, Ruth stated that reality can be worse than imagination in these circumstances.

All in all the evening was a valuable aid to many members present in the audience who deal regularly with death and its consequences.

The number of applicants for scholarships for the Canberra Symposium is most encouraging. Considering there were only two in 2000 the increased interest and scientific input from members can only but indicate a healthy growth in the forensic sciences in W.A.

Details of scholarship applicants and winners will appear elsewhere in the Newsletter. The recipients of scholarships will be asked to present their papers at a future meeting, at this stage planned for July. I have taken the liberty of including in the Newsletter a thank you e-mail from Paul Forman, the presenter at out last meeting. Both Paul Forman and Ruth Harrison our first speaker of the year, were very impressed with the societies attendance and diversity of interests.

Both of these speakers and Dr David Barclay for the 7th May are forensic scientists visiting Perth for a short business commitment. To have speakers of their calibre, highlights our policy of having feedback from members when they know someone of forensic significance is in town.

I will be attending the National Council Meeting and AGM during the Canberra Symposium. There are several issues that are relevant to our branch I believe need clarification. Such as allocation of scholarships, National lecturer, improved communication to the States on what is happening nationally and to submit a proposal for Perth to host the 2006 Symposium. (Wellington NZ will host the 2004 Symposium.).

If any member has any other concerns that they feel are relevant to these National meetings, please contact myself or a committee member before the 8th May.

I look forward to seeing members at the May 7th Meeting

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Thank-you Email from Paul Forman  (sent Thursday, March 14, 2002 11.17am)

Dear Stephen

Just a quick email to thank you for hosting and introducing the presentation last night at TAFE. I was very impressed by the turnout and indeed enthusiasm of the audience. Your gift was a very generous and unexpected gesture and I and Natalia are most grateful to you - it is lovely and will give us many hours enjoyment and remind us of the event and our visit. Please extend my thanks to the committee of ANZFSS.

If you would like further TRL ( or my personal) involvement in any of your future ventures then please do not hesitate to ask direct or via Ken Fowle at TAFE or via my colleague Paul Hillier in NSW on phillier@trl.co.uk or hillierpt@hotkey.net.au

Kind regards

Paul Forman   ( FormanPE@aol.com )
TRL

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