The effects of trauma on refugees are longlasting, both physically and mentally. The primary objective of this paper is to broaden the scope of theoretical knowledge on refugee trauma by building on refugee, PostColonial, Trauma and Feminist theories, and emphasizing refugee trauma as a consequence of multiple historical, social and political constraints which are embedded in the personal experiences of refugees. By incorporating these various theories, the author proposes an integrated model to aid service providers in identifying the various trauma factors associated with refugees, as well as to facilitate the development of efficient service delivery mechanisms for this population.

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This exploratory study recruited a purposive sample of twelve clinical staff from a Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team in central Virginia to understand the perceptions and experiences related to assertive engagement. The researchers coded the transcribed data initially as twenty-three sub-themes and further refined the data into four overarching themes: characteristics of assertive engagement, PACT engagement strategies and engagement strategies for difficult to engage clients. Further analysis emphasized that PACT team members emphasized the importance of the therapeutic relationship for engagement, which proves challenging for hard-to-engage clients.

A significant number of Sri Lankan Tamils fled the violence unleashed during the civil war (1983Á2009) between Tamils and the Sri Lankan government. The largest concentrations of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka exist in Canada and India. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of pre-migration and post-migration experiences on Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Canada and India. A total of 35 refugees participated in the qualitative study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. About 28 participants were from Gummidipoondi refugee camps near Chennai, India, and seven were from Toronto, Canada. There were 22 males and 13 females. The content analysis revealed war-related complex distress among participants. Major themes identified were civil war, genocide and escape, settlement/Kudiyettam, the role of the United Nations and Refugee Board policies. The results of the study emphasize the distress caused by the civil war and the subsequent journey many refugees took to reach their current settlements. Post-migration settlements including migration policies continue to prolong suffering and psychological abuse for many Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Expanding and negotiating these policies to fit diverse cultural, social and political human experiences would better serve refugees during their migratory journey.