Explained: Addressing CRSV’s Problems
Conflict Related Sexual Violence is currently an under-researched field.
Despite this, there exists established, evidence-based approaches that support survivors in moving towards resilience.
Resilience is the term for describing the ways survivors regain a sense of normalcy. This term is not a demand for survivors to overcome their trauma - rather it is the daily actions survivors take to return to what they consider to be ‘ordinary’.
It is important to note that for most of these survivors, the sexual violence was not a singular event - rather it was a part of a series of events that now have long-lasting effects on a survivor’s daily life.
Research reveals that there are some methods that are proven to help survivors work towards resilience:
Integration Into Positive Community
In a study done with survivors from Bosnia, Colombia, and Uganda, Janine Clark found that the survivors who spoke about moving forward in their lives, attributed their ability to do so to members of their community they had positive relationships with.
This list included:
Children
Spouses
Infirm or elderly loved ones
Other survivors
Psychotherapists
NGO-created communities and local associations
This highlights the pivotal role relational support and communal belonging play in a survivor’s recovery.
One-Stop Shops:
Dr. Mukwege’s Panzi Hospital spearheaded a solution where survivors go to the hospital and undergo an initial assessment that assigns them with a psychological assistant. This assistant creates an individualized treatment plan that includes the needed psychological, medical, legal, and/or socioeconomic care. Furthermore, this assistant will stay with them through the course of their treatment.
This model is highly efficient, and effective as survivors can access the needed holistic care in one place.
It is not widely adopted because it requires the care to be integrated with an already existing hospital that has the capacity to institute this groundbreaking system.
UN’s MHPSS Model
The UN’s mental health and psychosocial support system is a field approach where aid workers/first responders are trained in psychological first aid. They then introduce the survivor to the referral system that connects them with the legal, psychosocial, socioeconomic etc help they need.
This model emphasizes a survivor-centred approach, where protecting a survivor’s rights and dignities while limiting retraumatization is key.
One way this approach does this is by creating Women Friendly Spaces and Women-Led Community Centers where female survivors can learn to acquire new skills, and build their socioeconomic capacity.
What They Have In Common:
The most effective solutions for helping survivors:
Reduce the barriers to accessing help
Integrate survivors into positive community
Recognize that CRSV needs to be treated holistically
Avoids retraumatization
Provides survivors with the tools to progress economically
Let survivors choose their path to healing