Responsible data considerations Exposure to so much primary trauma can lead to secondary trauma which can, in turn, Signs of secondary trauma lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ›› Difficulty managing your emotions. Organisations, managers, and researchers must ›› Difficulty accepting or feeling okay about yourself. recognise and mitigate these risks. Eyewitness ›› Difficulty making good decisions. Media Hub lists several triggers that can be distressing for individuals, many of which are common in digital data sources, including: ›› Surprise: the individual does not expect to watch at a violent video. ›› Repeat exposure: the individual has to watch a violent video repeatedly. ›› Personal association: the content reminds the researcher of a personal situation or a personal connection. ›› Audio of human suffering: hearing the sound of violence made a video more distressing. ›› Feelings of guilt: human rights researchers report regular guilt for feeling trauma over violence that is being inflicted upon someone else. ›› Problems managing boundaries. E.g., taking on too much responsibility, having difficulty leaving work at the end of the day, trying to step in and control other’s lives. ›› Relationship problems. ›› Physical problems such as aches and pains, illnesses, accidents. ›› Difficulty feeling connected to what’s going on around and within you. ›› Loss of meaning and hope. ›› Increased substance abuse, alcohol in particular. ›› Binge-eating. ›› Isolating oneself from friends and colleagues. Individuals experiencing secondary trauma may experience none, some, or all of these symptoms. Any sudden behaviour shifts should be investigated. 70