m a ppi n g wo m en ’s n eeDs i n Zi m ba bw e’s nat i o na l h e a l i n g pr o ce ss back. Even if it is for a short while, it would be so unnerving that you couldn’t think straight. The grief I felt when it was done is still the same no matter how many years have passed. You don’t just get over sexual abuse or rape. (Interview, 3 June 2011) Another woman echoed this, saying: Women who suffered during the political violence, and were sexually or physically abused, suffer trauma and have flashbacks. Seeing the perpetrator can trigger this. My body would just go numb when I imagine them walking into my house again. I feel the tension in my shoulders and my hands would start shaking. I get this kind of shock sensation. I go into what the nursing sister at the clinic said was posttraumatic stress. I am not sure what that means but at times I just stutter and look a little stupid. My self-esteem is now very low. (Interview, 3 June 2011) The opinions of women interviewed converged when it came to emphasising the intergenerational effects of trauma. The view expressed was that, if adult individuals cannot cope with their past trauma, there is a high chance that they will pass unresolved traumatic experiences on to their children. Referring to what she perceives as a significant increase in drug abuse and mental illness in both young people and adults, a nursing sister from a psychiatric centre in Harare pointed out that societies that are deeply traumatised by the long-term effects of political violence can become trapped in highly self-destructive political dynamics and perpetual cycles of violence. In her view, justice and reconciliation will not be achieved through the signing of a peace agreement alone, but will also require Zimbabweans to make adjustments at a more fundamental psychological level. Despite growing evidence of the individual and collective consequences of trauma, a number of participants consider the measures being taken to address these invisible wounds as inadequate, if not entirely missing from transitional-justice discourses and processes. The acknowledgement of trauma caused by political violence remains relatively marginalised, and the few non-governmental organisations working with traumatised victims of political violence, such as the Research and Advocacy Unit, have noted that their findings and recommendations are either ignored or trivialised by national policy makers tasked with designing and implementing transitional-justice mechanisms. Debates surrounding the complexity of trauma remains narrowly defined and confined to the health professions; they are thus disconnected or marginalised from broader discussions of political and transitional justice. Emotional needs Several women reported suffering abuse at the hands of investigating police officers and other justice professionals even as they sought help and safety from further violent attacks. Frequently cited was a victim-blaming attitude taken by police and judicial officers, often accompanied by threats of political ‘investigation’ of the victim. Respondents also described being treated as if they had deserved the assaults. Several described facing criminalisation because they had gone to the police after being physically assaulted or sexually abused. There is a perception that female members of opposition groups who fell victim to political violence are treated more harshly than men in comparable situations. Several women expressed concerns about the sexist attitudes of police and judicial officials, as well as about compound discrimination and how that had negatively affected their own restorative processes of healing and recovery. During focus-group discussions, women stressed that putting new laws in the books is not enough, but that law enforcement and court mechanisms also have 15 IJR Zimbabwe Womens needs OP proof 2.indd 15 7/16/2012 11:01:31 AM