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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
Violence
causing psychological disorders in Zimbabwe
Violet
Gonda, SW Radio Africa
August 20, 2008
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news200808/psychdamage200808.htm
Women
of Zimbabwe Arise have said the widespread use of violence as
a political tool of repression in Zimbabwe has had serious adverse
long-term effects on the victims. A survey conducted by the pressure
group shows that the psychological state of Zimbabweans is similar
to the state of mind of people in war zones. WOZA said this at the
launch of their latest report called, 'Counting
the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders
in Zimbabwe,' in South Africa on Wednesday.
The survey was to document
the traumatic experiences of WOZA women in order to understand the
basis of possible psychological and emotional disorders arising
from their civic activism. WOZA leader Magodonga Mahlangu said out
of the 2000 victims interviewed, 53% have a likelihood of having
psychological disorders. "The findings of the report indicate
that Zimbabwe is a complex emergency: significant violence, severe
economic decline, and the destruction of social capital, which resembles
a war." The group said this left the victims candidates for
clinical psychological symptoms.
Unfortunately because
of the worsening economic crisis the victims have received little
counselling to handle their ordeals. The pressure group appealed
to ZANU PF to disband the militia camps saying there can never be
a healing process in the country if these structures that are perpetrating
violence are still in place.
Mahlangu added that the
negotiations on the future of Zimbabwe should involve community-based
people who will speak the concerns of the ordinary person. She said:
"Right now as we speak the violence is taking place on the
background of these talks and there are no concrete measures being
put to stop the violence."
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