Kidnapping, rape, forced labour and executions, witnessing scenes of extreme violence such as murder, rape, beatings, or torture of others, including one's parents. All of my family members, including the children, have nervous problems since being in jail as a result of the lack of clothing, the fierce cold, nowhere to bathe, the shortage of food and the suffering. The Traumatized Family A situation of war, frequently experienced by refugees, has a disorganizing and traumatizing effect on the entire family. Trauma of this sort, occurring before or after a child's birth, can limit or damage the parenting skills of the parents. Parents may be preoccupied, depressed, anxious, in mourning, or otherwise rendered incapable of properly caring for their child or children as a result of the trauma.
Some children develop problems in school.
A climate created by on-going organized violence can also produce generalized feelings of insecurity and uncertainty for children, thus making it impossible for children and youth to feel that they have a future. Children and youth who have lived in a situation of war may have been traumatized directly or indirectly and may exhibit a wide range of symptoms. Often children and youth who have experienced trauma through torture receive little attention at the time of the ordeal and ca go for long periods of time before receiving attention. Children often experience their emotional trauma on their own, as parents and other family members are often trying to cope with their own trauma and are therefore not able to give emotional support to their child. For any person, traumatic events such as the torture, murder, rape, or disappearance of a loved one are extremely difficult to grasp.