TO COPE WITH TRAUMA

AFTER GENOCIDE
RWANDA
2008

RUTAYISIRE K. ARISTIDE
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA/
FSSPA SOCIAL WORK DPRT
& UNIVERSITY OF KIBUNGO/ CLINICAL
PSYCHOLOGY DEPRT
 RUTAYISRE K. ARISTIDE
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA/ FSSPA SOCIAL WORK
DPRT
& UNIVERSITY OF KIBUNGO/ CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY DEPRT

TO COPE WITH TRAUMA AFTER THE GENOCIDE IN RWANDA

2008

Rwanda
To cope with Trauma after
genocide

Case of women
Monday may 19th,
2008
 Cope with trauma after
genocide 1994 in Rwanda
Case of widows and orphans

Rutayisire K. Aristide
May, Monday on 19th 2008
Trauma Healing

Trauma:
Those who have experienced hardship and suffering often experience
lasting trauma from the experience. Traumatic events can
fundamentally change not only victims' way of life, but also their
psychological outlook.

This is equally true for natural disasters such as earthquakes and

floods as it is for man-made catastrophes of terrorism and war.

Man-made trauma, however, is often more difficult to deal with,

because frequently the perpetrators still live in close proximity to
victims -- thereby providing constant reminders of the past, as
well as the threat of further incidents. Even if the immediate
source of the trauma is removed, time does not necessarily heal
all wounds. The survivor may, in fact, continue to suffer, to appear
"frozen in time." With conflict remaining an unfortunately common
reality for many, techniques have emerged to help trauma victims
interpret and heal from their experience.
Genocide in Rwanda

• During the months of April to July

1994, between 500,000 and one
million Rwandan men, women and
children were slaughtered in a
genocide of the Tutsis and in
massacres of moderate Hutu ?? who
were willing to work with Tutsi.
The rest of bodies of the man
killed in genocide 1994
context
• The 1994 genocide in Rwanda led to the
loss of at least 10% of the country's 7.7
million inhabitants, the
destruction of much of the country's
infrastructure, and the displacement of
nearly 4 million people.
In seeking to rebuild societies such as
Rwanda, it is important to understand how
traumatic experience may shape the
ability of individuals and groups to
respond to judicial and other reconciliation
initiatives.
What is Trauma?
• Individuals can suffer trauma in a variety of ways
and for a variety of reasons. Trauma sufferers
may themselves have seen their homes or
communities destroyed or be victims of physical
abuse such as rape, torture, or other violence.
Trauma can also be induced by serious threat or
harm to loved ones.
• Individuals are often unable to cope with these
extreme events, consequently inhibiting both
their ability to carry on with life and to function in
society.
• Trauma can have a range of different
cognitive, emotional, physical, and
behavioral effects on individuals.
Cognitive responses

• include memory difficulties, lack of

concentration, poor judgment,
inability to discriminate, and inability
to make choices.
Emotional responses

• include depression, withdrawal,

excitability, flashbacks, intense fear,
feelings of helplessness, loss of
control, loss of connection and
meaning, generalized anxiety, and
specific fears.
Physical responses

• include stomach pains, tightness of

the chest, headaches, perspiration,
and psychosomatic complaints.
Behavioral responses

• include irritability, startling easily,

hyper-alertness, insomnia,
communication difficulties, and drug,
cigarette, or alcohol abuse.
Incidents critics
Positive & negative
consequence
• Some people who develop PTSD seem to
recover completely and are left with little
no on-going distress and impairment.
• For others, the symptoms may persist
• the individual must learn
- To manage and
- To cope with them in order to minimize the
effects on their lives.
• There is much that people with PTSD can
do to help themselves deal with the
disorder.
How to help those
persons??
Just show them affection
and help them to cop with
trauma
Just take time to understand
them
Psychological restoration and healing can only occur
through providing the space for survivors to feel heard
and for every detail of the traumatic event to be re-
experienced in a safe environment."
Who has to do that???

• The psychologist first of all because

this is their job
• The politician as to achieve some
objectives such as reconciliation
• The local government etc…
Help them to see the future
To overstep their problems
and continue living positively
 Danke bitte
Und alles gute!!!