Mental Health Outcomes Of Survivors Of The Rwandan Genocide

Mental Health Outcomes of Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide Background: From April to June of 1994, in Rwanda, Tutsis and moderate Hutus were systematically killed in one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. In these three months, it was estimated that more than a million Tutsis were murderered.(â€Å"Statistics | Survivors Fund,† n.d.) About six people a minute were murdered, every minute of every day for these three months(â€Å"Statistics | Survivors Fund,† n.d.) In addition to the mass murder of Tutsis, mass rape (especially by HIV positive men) was used as a weapon. Approximately half a million women were raped and of those more than 2/3 eventually contracted HIV as a result. More than 20,000 children were born out of rape in the months following the genocide(â€Å"Statistics | Survivors Fund,† n.d.). This genocide was especially unique in that, it was carried out by normal citizens of the country rather than generals or government officials. Neighbors murdered neighbors and former friendly acquaintances were attacked by people they knew (Staub, 2004). As a result of the widespread violence, 94% of the population of Rwanda experienced at least one act of genocidal violence (witness of murder or mass killings, sexual violence, property destruction etc.) More than 70% have lost a close family member during the conflict (Schaal, Elbert, Neuner, 2009). There are about 400,000 survivors of the genocide and about 75,000 child orphaned survivors. These children were forced by