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Sutton, Julie; Beyond the Ordinairy
media can also impinge powerfully and this is particularly so if we have a
similar, previous experience.
We have had a recent example of this in Northern Ireland with television
coverage of the deaths of three young brothers as a result of the fire caused
by a petrol bomb thrown into their house last year. The impact upon the
mother, father and remaining brother of these boys is impossible to
imagine. Both parents escaped the blaze, having first tried to rescue the
children. The older brother was not in the house, even more powerless. The
rest of the family has had to deal with the event as well as the strain of
supporting the survivors, including dealing with news media. The impact of
the event upon those living on that housing estate was obvious. The impact
on those living throughout N. Ireland was strong enough to put a great deal
of pressure on those demonstrating at Drumcree 22 . This should be seen in
the perspective of many previous traumatic events. To broaden the
perspective further I know of one family living in England, for whom these
deaths had a particularly powerful effect, because ten years ago this family
had lost their only two children in a house fire.
If we summarise the ways in which any single event can have an impact we
are thinking about what often has been called the "ripple effect":
The ripple effect of a traumatic event OHP
not)
Those present who survived (whether physically injured or
Those witnessing the event (related/friends/passers by)
Close family members who were not there
Rescue services
22 The Drumcree demonstration was started after Orange Order marchers (protestant) were
prevented from walking down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. Drumcree is the name of the
church where the march starts. Members of the Orange Order believe that because they have
always marched down the road they should do so now. The catholic Garvaghy Road residents
believed this was provocative. The Parades Commission agreed with the residents and banned
the march, leading to violent protests from Orangemen and their supporters.
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