The adjective "zeitlang" would have to transform into a noun "Zeitlang," which could mean something like "a long time." This would fit the concept of a long-time sufferer. I like the word and do not object to it. I know of a similar word, however, "sufont," that addresses specifically the suffering side of the person who suffers from a loss due to a crime. The word appears in a book entitled, "Old Truths: How to Help Crime Victims," by M. Thompson and published by Sufont Publishing, 2001. This book proposes the word "sufont" in place of "crime victim" and addresses the longterm suffering associated with the multiple senses of loss and injury.

Hi Richard
I like the idea of removing the label "victim"

Yeah, we could call them "secondary participants".

I simply meant that the label of victim tends to carry an image/stigma of continued helplessness which is not helpful and often not accurate. It is the conotation I am objecting to. For the same reason we (the medical we) no longer use the terms cancer victim or stroke victim.