What is secondary trauma?

• A. A physical injury resulting from a single traumatic event.
• B. Trauma experienced only by those directly involved in the incident.
• C. A temporary emotional burnout.
• D. The emotional and physical impact on individuals exposed to the trauma of others.

Answer: (D)

Secondary trauma is the emotional and physical toll that people experience after being repeatedly exposed to others’ traumatic experiences. In law enforcement and related fields, this often comes from hearing victims’ accounts, viewing graphic evidence, or witnessing suffering across many incidents. The result can mirror stress reactions seen in trauma survivors, such as intrusive thoughts, sleep problems, irritability, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, and physical symptoms like headaches or fatigue. It’s not about a single physical injury from one event, nor is it limited only to those who were directly involved in a incident; it grows from ongoing exposure to others’ trauma and can be more than a temporary burnout. The option describing the emotional and physical impact on individuals exposed to the trauma of others best captures this experience.