A situational crisis emerges when an uncommon or extraordinary event occurs. Such events are uncontrollable and the individual usually has no means of forecasting its occurrence. It is imporatant to understand that situational crises occur at random, are shocking, intense and catastrophic.



family crisis | family violence | violent crimes | natural disasters | references

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For additional resources see CRC Social Services. 


Family Crises- Divorce, substance abuse/chemical dependency, serious/fatal illnesses, death and financial hardships are several crises families are facing more frequently in our society.


Divorce- Almost 50% of all marriages end in divorce (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1995). Children are often affected by divorce, leaving them feeling confused, insecure, fearful, trapped, unloved, angry and guilty.

As an adult experiencing the loss felt by divorce or separation, the following are three suggested strategies to assist an individual in the critical decisions they may face:

  • Individual counseling and intervention
  • Seek a support group
  • Referral resources - Divorce Central


Substance Abuse- The drug problem in our society today certainly is no secret. Americans spend approximately $67 billion annually on alcohol alone.

The Crisis Resource Center suggests the following Web sites for the following subjects:

Serious/Fatal Illness-

Financial Hardships-

Post Traumatic Stress Disorders- Dysfunctional adjustment to a psychic trauma. (i.e. physical/sexual abuse, war, natural disaster, violent crimes)

An idividual may respond to PTSD either physically or physiologically. PSTD victims may experience insomnia, outbursts of anger, inability to concentrate, or hypervigilance. Re-victims of crises are often more likely to suffer from PTSD than individuals who only experience a crisis once.

Family Violence- Violence in the family is not limited to husband and wife relationships. It may include parent and child abuse or sexual abuse. According to statistics, domestic disturbance calls far outnumber other types of police calls in which the possibility of violence exists. (Gilland and James, 1997)

Your local area crisis center is available to assist you with telephone and on-site short term crisis intervention and counseling. The shelters in your area are available for long-term housing of women and their children. Some agencies can provide both center and shelter assistance.


Child Abuse- In 1994, approximately 3,140,000 children were reported to Child Protective Services as victims of child maltreatment while an estimated 1,271 died from abuse or neglect. (Wiese and Daro, 1995)

Girls are sexually abused three times more often than boys. Boys are more likely to die or be injured from their abuse. (Sedlak and Broadhurst, 1996).



Woman Battering- Of the 1,348 murders of women committed by their boyfriends or husbands in 1994, 89% were directly attributed to a domestic dispute of some kind. Of the 572 murders of men by their girlfriends, 99% were due to domestic disputes of some kind. Women convicted of battery or assualt generally had turned to violence in self defense or retaliation. (Gilliland and James, 1997)

Violent Crimes- One violent crime occured every 18 seconds in 1995. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1996). In 1993, crime cost victims approximately $19.4 billion, including cost of stolen property, cost to repair or replace stolen property, medical expenses, and lost wages. (Perkins, Klaus, Bastian, & Cohen, 1996)

The following resources are provided to assist you in crime prevention as well as recovery for victims.


Homicide- In 1995, there were 21,597 murders in the United States, one murder every 24 minutes. Firearms were used 70% of the time. (FBI, 1996).

Of the murder victims from 1976 to 1994, 76% were male, 24% were female. However when a sexual assualt coincided with a homicide, 82% of the victims were women. (Greenfield, 1996).

Sexual Assault- In 1995, there was one forcible rape every five minutes in the United States. (FBI, 1996). Victims reported an estimated 260,310 completed or attempted rapes and 94,580 sexual assualts. (Bureau of Justice Staistics, 1996).

Workplace Violence- Each weekin the United States, an average of twenty people are murdered and 18,000 are assaulted while working or on duty. Homicide is the leading cause of death from occupational injury among working females. (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1996)

Natural Disasters- Thanks to Mother Nature, most of us face an uncontrollable natural disaster at one point in our lives. Natural disasters often strike an entire community.  Everybody becomes a "survivor" and a large support system establishes immediately. Therfore, natural disasters leave fewer emotional scars than other crises. (Gilliland and James, 1997)


Earthquakes- Living With Earthquakes

Tornadoes/Floods- FEMA

Red Cross

Extreme Weather Conditions

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1996). National Crime Victimization Survey: Preliminary 1995 Data. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics Bureau of Justice Statistics

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (1996). Crime in the United States, 1995. Washington, DC:USGPO.

Gilliland, Burl E. and James, Richard K. (1997). Crisis Intervention Strategies University of Memphis, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Greenfield, Lawrence A. (1996). Sex Offenses and Offenders: An Analysis of Data on Rape and Sexual Assault. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Perkins, Craig A., Klaus, Patsy A., Bastian, Lisa D., and Cohen, Robyn L. (1996). Criminal Victimization in the U.S., 1993. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics.



If you require further assistance, please contact one of the organizations we have provided here for you. If you are active in a religous organization in you area, look to your local clergy for additional information.

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