Coping with the trauma of war: Former child soldiers in post-conflict Sierra Leone

Abstract

Children across the globe have been implicated in armed conflict as both victims and participants. During Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war, thousands of children, both boys and girls, participated directly in armed conflict or were recruited for labour or sexual exploitation in armed groups. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 80 children formerly associated with Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front, this paper explores children's experiences of violence during the armed conflict, traces the realities that children faced in the aftermath of the war, and examines the ways in which participants attempted to cope with the war's profound after-effects. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for social work.

Developing a social work curriculum on political conflict: findings from an IASSW-funded project

“…Based on our survey and the critical review of the literature, our findings resonate with previous research in this area (Baum, 2011;Denov, 2010;Guru, 2010;NuttmanShwartz & Dekel, 2008) that in our globalised world, it is important for social workers to be trained in how to deal with the issues associated with political conflict and its aftermath effects.…”

Participation as Principle and Tool in Social Reintegration: Young Mothers Formerly Associated with Armed Groups in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Northern Uganda

“…Stigma and discrimination have a negative impact on health (Betancourt et al, 2010;Denov, 2010) while conversely, community acceptance is associated with reduced depression and increased confidence (Betancourt et al, 2010). In addition, returned young mothers face significant structural barriers in social and economic reintegration.…”

“…For example, young women often receive livelihood training but within a range of gendered options such as tailoring which are often unsustainable due to market saturation and low demand. Interestingly, Denov (2010) identifies the agentive strategies girls use to negotiate everyday civilian life and act with the means available to them, such as the use of peer support structures, female solidarity or seeking to actively manage the disclosure in order to avoid rejection. These everyday practices are often overlooked in formal programming yet offer interesting insights into how formerly associated girls 'do' social reintegration.…”

Sex trafficking and sexual exploitation in settings affected by armed conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East: systematic review

“…It does not only refer to a child who is taking, or has taken, a direct part in hostilities. (UNCEF 2007) [pg Title page]sexual violence- no definition , but includes sexual abuse and rape [pg 28] LRA sex slaves- no definition [pg 17]Denov [42]child soldier- any person below 18 years of age who is or who has been recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers, spies or for sexual purposes. It does not only refer to a child who is taking or has taken a direct part in hostilities [pg 805]sexual violence- sexual labor, sexual assault, systematic raping, sexual exploitation [pg 794]Denov [43]child soldier- children engaged in the conflict, child combatants [pg 74]sexual violence- gang rape, individual rape and/or rape with objects, also referred to as sexual slavery, sexual harassment, sexual victimization [pg 77]Higonnet [30]female child soldiers- girls formerly associated with the armed conflict as soldiers, cooks, porters, sex slaves, or in some combination of these roles [pg 37]sexual violence- sexually exploitive acts including individual and gang rape, sexual slavery, forced incest, and egregious sexual assault [pg 3] and defined as a form of GBV along with sexual abuse, domestic violence, emotional and psychological abuse, trafficking, forced prostitution, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and harmful traditional practices (e.g.…”