Women-specific approach for treating trauma

“Traumatic reactions occur when taking action is sensless. If it is neither possible to put up resistance nor to flee, the self-defense mechanism of a human being is overtaxed and breaks down in a state of chaos.”
Judith L. Herman, "Die Narben der Gewalt", Munich 1994

Women and men suffer under the consequences of immense violence through wars and social repression. Men, too, have been traumatised by war and are also likely to have been victims of sexualised violence. In these cases too, more help for this problem specifically would have to be offered. For women, however, war violence is part of structural violence against women world-wide. Its extent of damage done is multiplied through social inferiority and the various degrees to which sexualised violence is tabooed in different societies, through lack of educational opportunities as well as economic and medical resources. War violence has gender-specific consequences for women.

The trauma of being raped

In addition to the horrors and trauma of war for the entire population, women are subject to the permanent threat of sexualised violence, rape and forced prostitution. Sexualised violence is an attack on the innermost self and the personality of the survivor. Often, the women are also perceived to be morally responsible for what has happened and are thus forced to deny the crime and its consequences – sometimes for an entire lifetime. Patriarchal cultures make sure that sexualised war violence is an extreme taboo during post-war eras. So, in addition to injury by the perpetrator, women are faced with the additional trauma of becoming social outcasts. The chance of developing lasting post-traumatic stress symptoms ( PTSD) is especially likely in cases of rape. The experiences of our counsellors in Bosnia and Kosova indicate, however, that the results of war rape are far too complex to be subsumed under the heading PTSD. Ingeborg Joachim, a staff member of medica mondiale, has made a report available to us.

Women-specific and holistic forms of support

The results of war violence for women occur on various levels and affect not only psychological effects, but also their family, eyconomic, general situation, spiritual life and religion, (reproductive) health, vocational training and employ- ment. In our experience, support can be successful only if it is specifically orien- ted to the life situation of the woman and has a holistic approach. For the thera- peutic process, it is important to under- stand what the traumatic experience means to the woman in terms of her social and cultural context. Our health and therapy centres are staffed by female personnel exclusively. This provides an easier access to our offers and also a secure and sheltered space. It is essential – in view of social exclusion – to perceive what they have experienced and to show them that they are not alone in this matter.

A new view of the problem brings healing

The staff members of medica mondiale work in a resource-oriented manner: they perceive the strength and courage of the women – a factor which helped them survive the trauma. They do not see the affected women as helpless victims, but rather remind them of their great inner strength to live. Every one of these women has this potential which can serve as a resource, as a source of overcoming extreme situations and times. It is important to discover these sources in the course of therapy and to put them to good use in further shaping the womens `lives. Furthermore, it is important to discover the strength potential within the group, in meetings with other affected women, who are jointly working on a new basis for their lives and who find a great number of resources within their cultural identity.

Wide Range of Offers for Help

In order for traumatised women and girls to become familiar with the medica mondiale centres and its staff members, a wide range of low-threshold activities are offered: cooking and sewing courses, which allow informal social contacts and free the women from their isolation, make closeness possible in working with one another and can also form the basis for a therapeutic process. The women receive support in earning their living in a country torn by war through various vocational training offers (hairdressing, furniture upholstering, etc.). At the same time, these courses provide a venue where the women can come into contact with one another and with therapist in a confidential and safe atmosphere in order to talk about the trauma they have suffered.

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