CASE STUDY 12: VIKTOR
Profile
| Name | Viktor |
| Age | 21 |
| Gender | Male |
| Pronouns | He/him |
| Ethnicity | South Asian |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Education | Pursuing undergraduate education |
| Citizenship/ Immigration Status | Canadian |
Background
Born in Canada, Viktor has a younger brother and sister.
Family and Systemic Violence Witnessed/Experienced
Viktor was about five when his father’s violence against his mother, siblings and himself began. The violence comprised physical and verbal abuse and occurred frequently. Viktor faced this violence when he behaved in a way his father did not like or when he did not do his homework. As a child, Viktor wanted to escape the violence and tried to cope but could not.
Viktor and his brother were targeted more than his sister, which Viktor feels was due to her young age and gender. Viktor is sure that witnessing the physical and verbal violence impacted him as a child.
The violence stopped when Viktor’s mother left home with Viktor and his two siblings on a day when his father was at work. Viktor was five, and his younger siblings were three and one. Viktor has never seen his father since and has not given any thought to his parents’ situation. As the oldest child, Viktor supports his mother by taking on a co-parenting role alongside her. Viktor is currently attending university and continues to take care of his younger siblings.
Experiences while Accessing Supports
Viktor first had contact with the police when he was about seven years old. Viktor vaguely remembers the court system and interacting with a Children’s Aid Society (currently known as Child Protection Services) social worker, who he thought was a daycare worker or a teacher.
Impacts of Family and Systemic Violence
When Viktor was about 16, he started asking questions about his father’s violence, particularly of his mother and uncle. Talking about the violence has made him feel much better and helped him be a better person and know what not to do with friends and life partners. Additionally, learning about how his mother managed the situation gave Viktor tremendous appreciation for her and helped him develop the skills needed to be a parent.
Viktor feels obligated to act as a father figure for his siblings to alleviate his mother’s responsibilities. However, his siblings’ relationship with their mother is not very good, and Viktor is the connection between his mother and siblings. In interpersonal relationships with friends and family, Viktor is cautious and tries to recognize signs of problem behaviour.
