13 CONCLUSIONS: This brief review of the literature supports the view that organised violence has traumatic consequences for individuals and families. The literature suggests a dose-response effect, with the likelihood of PTSD increasing as direct exposure to violence increases, with torture representing the most severe form of organised violence identified to date. The effects of torture and organised violence are thus severe, causing lasting impairment and possibly second-generation effects in the families of survivors. The limited literature from Zimbabwe indicates that victims of violence can be found in high-risk populations such as refugees, as well as in communities that have suffered from high rates of violence in the recent past. Preliminary reports indicate high rates of PTSD and psychological disorder in persons who have experienced organised violence, either directly or indirectly. There are also suggestions that disappearances are a significant cause of both individual disorder and family dysfunction (30).