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Introduction
Background and aspirations
In recent years , several manuals and guidelines have been developed in the field of trauma . Some of these have addressed gender-based violence ( GBV ), its consequences , and ways to prevent it and protect against it . This manual focuses on the mental health of survivors of trauma , especially trauma associated with GBV . The aim is to provide a very practical supplement to the existing literature . The manual suggests approaches and techniques that address the psychological needs of GBV survivors , which helpers can use when they assist and provide care to individuals who are exposed to this form of violence . It focuses especially on ways of understanding how trauma affects the lives of survivors . The approaches presented will hopefully be of value in work with people exposed to other forms of trauma as well .
It deals with such questions as :
• What is the psychological meaning of trauma ?
• How do traumatic events affect mental health ?
• What are the signs of severe distress and how can they be assessed ?
• How can we create safe spaces that permit supportive dialogue and contact ?
• What approaches may assist a survivor to deal with trauma and move on in life ?
The manual is a resource for helpers working in emergency situations who have little or no access to specialised health services or to health professionals with psychological or psychiatric expertise . We hope it will assist helpers to identify and understand signs of distress , and deal more effectively with acute and sub-acute phases of trauma . Our intention is to provide tools and approaches that can stabilise survivors after they have been exposed to traumatising events , help them to deal with events that trigger traumatic memories , and teach them how to regain control of their lives .
It also considers the stress that helpers themselves experience , the risk that they may suffer secondary trauma , and their need for support and communication .
Additional training is available from other sources . HHRI has created a page about GBV on its website ( www . hhri . org ), where you will find relevant publications and guidelines as well as organisations and sites that work on this issue . Additional readings will be added on specific subjects and made available via links to the training material .
The manual refers primarily to women and girls who are victims of sexual violence . Men and boys are also victims of rape , and sexual violence against males may often be especially difficult to talk about . We believe this manual is suitable for work with male survivors of gender-based violence , provided it is adapted appropriately . A separate training module would be required for working with children ( boys and girls ) who survive GBV . This training references documents on GBV against children and males , but it does not elaborate on their needs or address their situations explicitly .