RT Article
T1 Becoming Secondary Survivors: Exploring the Effects of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence on the Health and Well-Being of Families in Northern Uganda
JF Journal of interpersonal violence
VO 38
IS 3/4
SP 3395
OP 3420
A1 Woldetsadik, Mahlet A.
A1 Acan, Grace
A1 Odiya, Okwir Isaac
A2 Acan, Grace
A2 Odiya, Okwir Isaac
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1832640957
AB The enduring consequences of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and its catastrophic effects on the health and well-being of survivors has been well documented. However, there is a dearth of evidence on the impact of CRSV on families of survivors who care for them. The aim of this study was to explore the ripple effects of CRSV on families of survivors living in three post-conflict districts in northern Uganda: Gulu, Lira, and Pader. We present emerging themes from qualitative interviews with 22 family members including parents, siblings, and partners. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated to English, and imported into MAXQDA Analytics Pro 12. We used a modified approach to grounded theory to analyze the data. Our findings show that family members faced multiple challenges as a result of their indirect exposure to survivors that were abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army. These included negative impacts on their relationship with the survivor, secondary traumatic stress, stigma, and challenges with caring for children born in captivity. Participants also shared coping mechanisms they used to mitigate psychological distress, including focusing on their faith, seeking support from social connections, and memory repression. The interviews revealed that most female participants did not seek formal care because they feared stigma and did not think it would be available for individuals not directly affected by sexual violence. Our findings point to the importance of moving beyond a narrow focus on the impact of CRSV on survivors and health care workers to a broader view of understanding the effects on families, and designing interventions that address their needs. Integrating care for families and other informal caregivers might mitigate secondary trauma, and ensure individuals are emotionally protected and equipped to care for survivors.
K1 SECONDARY traumatic stress
K1 Health
K1 Women
K1 secondary survivors
K1 Family
K1 Sexual Violence
K1 armed conflict
K1 northern Uganda
DO 10.1177/08862605221107057