Abstract

Homicide survivors experience a synergistic mixture of trauma, grief, and injustice. Literature indicates the positive role of forgiveness in healing, nuances to the definitions of forgiveness, and the potential for positive spiritual growth following homicide loss. This secondary, thematic analysis of 16 interviews examines forgiveness as part of the process of spiritual change following the homicide of a loved one. Analysis indicated the potential for religion and spirituality to become facilitators or barriers to forgiveness and emphasizes the importance of choice for survivors’ healing. Spiritually sensitive practices grounded in survivors’ autonomy to redefine and ultimately choose forgiveness are discussed.

摘要

凶杀案幸存者经历了创伤、悲伤和不公正的协同混合。文献表明宽恕在治愈中的积极作用、宽恕定义的细微差别，以及在杀人后精神上积极成长的潜力。对 16 次访谈的次要主题分析将宽恕作为亲人被杀后精神改变过程的一部分进行检查。分析表明宗教和灵性有可能成为宽恕的促进因素或障碍，并强调选择对幸存者康复的重要性。讨论了基于幸存者重新定义并最终选择宽恕的自主权的精神上敏感的做法。