Sabine Schmitt, Anke Köbach, & Anke Hoeffler (University of Konstanz):

"Encountering trauma-induced drivers of violence by individual and social change: Development and implementation of a community-based intervention in the Eastern DR Congo"

 

Room BIN 3.D.27

 

Abstract:

Life in the war-torn regions of Eastern DR Congo is characterized by continuous and severe traumatic stress. The resulting psychopathology leads to unimaginable suffering, can turn victims into perpetrators and exacerbates the cycles of violence. The traumatic experience itself becomes a social label and shifts survivors to an existence on the periphery of their community. Discrimination and social rejection are prevalent, especially after rape and combatant life, and promote further perpetration. To counter these intra- and interpersonal violence-enforcing dynamics, new forms of interventions are needed that target both the individual suffering and the integration on a social level. In this research colloquium we present the development of such an innovative approach. We show first data from our project in the Eastern DR Congo and discuss future steps involving social behavior experiments and modern digital techniques to improve the evidence of efficacy for community-level peace building interventions in post conflict areas.

 

Everyone is cordially invited!

Johannes Ullrich
16.9.19