8
More than half the group (52%) said that their homes had been destroyed (usually by burning),
although, this figure could be higher as it was difficult to obtain this data. The majority of the
clients seen had been displaced either through the loss of their homes or because of the threat of
death if they returned home.
Qualitative data
Many of the clients complained of symptoms which could be related to post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). These included intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, restlessness, anxiety,
nauseousness, stomach aches, headaches, chest aches, difficulty sleeping, being fearful and
agitated. Some clients were so desperate and hopeless that they thought of suicide.
One client stated “… I am worried sick because I do not know my child’s condition. That
is why I look sad and withdrawn. Sometimes I feel like killing myself because I can’t look
after my family”.
All clients were extremely worried about what would happen to them and their families and how
would they be able to look after their families in the current context. These symptoms are
certainly consistent with a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) although we are
aware that this is a controversial diagnosis in the literature.
Most striking for us as researchers was that the trauma emerged from the transcripts as deeply
social in nature. We believe this element requires highlighting since it represents a divergence
from the literature and begs further study. In the context of the narratives, clients began with
often detailed descriptions of the violence they had been subjected to but very quickly moved to
descriptions of the social impact. There are detailed descriptions of the effects on family and
neighbours when the victim first arrived home, as well as longer term musings on the effect of the
victimisation and displacement on the client’s ability to continue providing for their families.
However there was also considerable concern about the perpetrators, many of whom were
known to the victims; thus there is a recurring refrain about the effect of these events on future
social relations within the community. One man wonders what he will call his neighbours’
children (who were also his tormentors) when they next meet. These social elements highlight
ways in which whole communities have been torn apart by the insidious nature of this violence
AMANI Trust: At the boiling point of the pain. Report of a pilot study examining the eficacy of psychotherapy for torture
survivors.