Association of Combatant Status and Sexual Violence With Health and Mental Health Outcomes in Postconflict Liberia

Objective To investigate the longitudinal course of internalizing and externalizing problems and adaptive/prosocial behaviors among Sierra Leonean former child soldiers and whether post-conflict factors contribute to adverse or resilient mental health outcomes. Method Male and female former child soldiers (N=260, ages 10–17 at baseline) were recruited from the roster of an NGO-run Interim Care Center in Kono District and interviewed in 2002, 2004 and 2008. The retention rate was 69%. Linear growth models were used to investigate trends related to war and post-conflict experiences. Results The long-term mental health of former child soldiers was associated with war experiences and post-conflict risk factors, which were partly mitigated by post-conflict protective factors. Increases in externalizing behavior were associated with killing/injuring others during the war and post-conflict stigma while increased community acceptance was associated with decreases in externalizing problems (B=−1.09). High baseline levels of internalizing problems were associated with surviving rape while increases were associated with younger involvement in armed groups and social and economic hardships. Improvements in internalizing problems were associated with higher levels of community acceptance and increases in community acceptance (B=−0.86). Decreases in adaptive/prosocial behaviors were associated with killing/injuring others during the war and post-conflict stigma, but partially mitigated by social support, being in school and increased community acceptance (B=1.93). Conclusions Psychosocial interventions for former child soldiers may be more effective if they account for post-conflict factors in addition to war exposures. Youth with accumulated risk factors, lack of protective factors, and persistent distress should be identified; sustainable services to promote community acceptance, reduce stigma, and expand social supports and educational access are recommended.

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“…9 This exposure can include being forced to kill or harm others 1, 10 and repeated personal victimization, including sexual violence. 10 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sierra Leone's Former Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Study of Risk, Protective Factors, and Mental Health

Betancourt¹,

Brennan²,

Rubin-Smith³

et al. 2010

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psych

161

240

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“…Agger (1989) reported that 76% of male political prisoners in El Salvador had experienced at least one type of sexual torture during detention. The work of Kirsten Johnson (2008Johnson ( , 2010 has been particularly influential in drawing attention to issues of male CRSV. In Liberia, her team found that 32% of male ex-combatants had experienced sexual violence (10% less than the figure for female excombatants).…”

Section: Characterization Of Male-directed Sexual Violence In Conflictmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male Directed Sexual Violence in Conflict: A Challenge for Gender Studies

Ó’Móchain

2018

mcs

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In recent years, extensive empirical data has indicated that acts of severe sexual assault are being perpetrated against large numbers of men in many areas of conflict around the world. In spite of such data, recognition of this problem within gender studies remains limited. This is due to many reasons including the opposition of a variety of feminism that is reluctant to acknowledge male victimhood. This paper argues that feminist reservations about a focus on male-directed sexual violence in conflict are unfounded, especially as adherence to dichotomous gender models of “male equals perpetrator/female equals victim” ignores the comparable suffering of male survivors. A feminist analysis is enriched and complemented by a focus on male survivors and on the gendered power relations that operate among men.

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“…More recently, researchers have sought to combine health surveys with crime victimization surveys developed in the field of criminology to also ask about perpetrators. 48,49,50,51 …”

Section: Estimating Mass Rape Using Hospital Records In the Former Yumentioning

confidence: 99%

Documenting Mass Rape: Medical Evidence Collection Techniques as Humanitarian Technology

Morse¹

2014

GSP

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Abstract.Aim: Emerging global networks of human rights activists, doctors, and nurses have advocated for increased collection of medical evidence in conflict-affected countries to corroborate allegations of sexual violence and facilitate prosecution in international and domestic courts. Such initiatives are part of broader shifts in human rights advocacy to document human rights violations using rigorous, standardized methodologies. In this paper, I consider three principal forms of medical evidence to document sexual violence and their use in these settings: the patient medical record, the medical certificate, and the sexual assault medical forensic exam (commonly known as the "rape kit"). Methods

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Association of Combatant Status and Sexual Violence With Health and Mental Health Outcomes in Postconflict Liberia

Cited by 204 publications

References 26 publications

Sierra Leone's Former Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Study of Risk, Protective Factors, and Mental Health

Sierra Leone's Former Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Study of Risk, Protective Factors, and Mental Health

Male Directed Sexual Violence in Conflict: A Challenge for Gender Studies

Documenting Mass Rape: Medical Evidence Collection Techniques as Humanitarian Technology

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