|
Building a nation of survivors through:
- Supporting survivors of violence
- Extending services to support survivors of violence
- Reducing the impact of violence on children
- Witnessing the impact of the past
- Responding to large scale traumatic incidents
Introduction
The Trauma Centre is a well respected non-governmental organization, initiated by progressive mental health networks in 1993 to provide mental health services to survivors of the violence of the previous regime, especially those on Robben Island and their families. As the nature of violence changed within the city, so the centre has responded, now running five integrated and linked programmes to engage with these needs.
The Trauma Centre’s 5 main programmes to support survivors of violence and torture and create safety are:
- The Trauma Response Programme: Supporting survivors of violence
- The Trauma Skills Programme: Extending services to support survivors of violence
- The Children and Violence Programme: Reducing the impact of violence on children
- The Political Violence Programme: Witnessing the impact of the past
- The Disaster Management Programme: Responding to large-scale traumatic incidents
“If South Africa is to become a symbol of hope and healing for Africa and the world we will owe much to organisations such as the Trauma Centre. I hope you will support their work generously.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Crime & Violence in South Africa
The 2007 Cape Town’s homicide rate was reported as 61 per 100 000 people, in comparison to a global rate of 28.8 / 100 000.
Violence leaves survivors with deep anger, deep feelings of inadequacy, depression and trauma.
Many people struggle with reliving the event, keep thinking about it, have nightmares, small reminders, deep distress, some try to forget, some avoid thinking, or talking about it, withdraw from people, feel numb and have gaps in memory, feel there’s no future, some are very anxious or hyper aroused, many become aggressive, irritable, quick to anger, quick to startle, experience somatic problems, cannot sleep or eat etc.
Recent research at a Western Cape day hospital revealed that:
- 94% of the patients had a life time exposure to violence,
- 19.9% could be diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder
- 37% with depression
- 18.4% with somatisation disorder.
The right to safety is enshrined within our Bill of Rights -- “Everyone has the right to freedom and security of the person”. Being and feeling safe is crucial for trust, learning, good relationships and growth. Yet with some of the highest levels of homicide, rape and assault internationally, very few South Africans experience or even expect, a sense of safety in their day to day lives. The majority of Capetonians encounter their homes, schools, transport, work environments and communities as threatening.
Can we be healthy when we as a nation, are so scared? Can we build healthy individuals, families, communities and schools when we are looking over our shoulders? The Trauma Centre is central in creating spaces of safety while our society comes to terms with its past, deals with the ongoing structural violence and hopefully builds towards a more just future. These safe corners in the counselling room, large group discussions or in schools allow people space to think, space to heal and space to grow.
|
