It took 30 hours for Annika Bevington to receive the news of her husband Chris Bevington's death after he became one of the five people killed in the terrorist attack in Stockholm on April 7, 2017.
The hours are harmful, the body reacts in a way that burns out the nervous system and the brain, she says.
When she saw that it took even longer for relatives to receive information after the school massacre in Örebro, she was first terrified – then took action.
Wants a place at the table
Together with Jeanette Åkerlund, who lost her daughter Ebba in the attack on Drottninggatan, and Saga Berlin, who was herself affected by the truck's rampage, she has formed the organization Association for Terrorism Victims and Relatives. The goal is to be able to speak on behalf of all those affected by special violent crimes.
I have felt that the need has existed for several years. But it wasn't until now, eight years later, that we managed to muster the energy required, says Annika Bevington.
The question of faster identification and notification of death to relatives, and direct psychological support in such cases, is just one of several points that the association is driving.
They also want to see more practical help for victims when it comes to administration, for example, to claim damages. Victims should also be able to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress syndrome more quickly, without having to go through a long investigation, according to the association.
By organizing themselves, Annika Bevington hopes that victims will get a place at the table when, for example, politicians discuss the consequences of serious violent crimes such as terrorism or mass murder. With an association behind them, it can also become easier to talk about their experiences and let society benefit from them, she believes.
This is our deepest trauma that we're sitting and talking about. It tears up and takes a lot of energy.
"It takes time"
The police in Örebro say that notification of death may be delayed because people killed in violent crimes, with external injuries, can be more difficult to identify than those who have died for other reasons.
It must be done in a legally secure way. It takes time, says Lars Hedelin, press spokesperson for the police in Bergslagen.
In some cases, the police may also want to wait until all victims have been identified before giving notice to any relative, to avoid speculation or false hopes, according to Hedelin.
