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2 . What is useful to know about trauma , reactions to trauma , resilience and culture
KEY TO KNOW
This section discusses trauma knowledge that is useful when working with survivors of sexual violence .
We start from the belief that human rights are an essential foundation of work with survivors .
We define and describe the concept of trauma , emphasising that traumatic events produce common reactions . We refer to diagnostic categories and descriptions , because these describe the behavioural and psychological reactions that help make traumas recognisable . We present the five stories in “ clinical ” terms , identifying typical trauma reactions that survivors struggle with .
We also believe that culture and cultural understanding are essential dimensions of work with survivors . We specifically consider vulnerable groups , the importance of resilience , and techniques for identifying vulnerability .