Internally Displaced “Victims of Armed Conflict” in Colombia: The Trajectory and Trauma Signature of Forced Migration

Abstract

While conflict-induced forced migration is a global phenomenon, the situation in Colombia, South America, is distinctive. Colombia has ranked either first or second in the number of internally displaced persons for 10 years, a consequence of decades of armed conflict compounded by high prevalence of drug trafficking. The displacement trajectory for displaced persons in Colombia proceeds through a sequence of stages: (1) pre-expulsion threats and vulnerability, (2) expulsion, (3) migration, (4) initial adaptation to relocation, (5) protracted resettlement (the end point for most forced migrants), and, rarely, (6) return to the community of origin. Trauma signature analysis, an evidence-based method that elucidates the physical and psychological consequences associated with exposures to harm and loss during disasters and complex emergencies, was used to identify the psychological risk factors and potentially traumatic events experienced by conflict-displaced persons in Colombia, stratified across the phases of displacement. Trauma and loss are experienced differentially throughout the pathway of displacement.

Frecuencia y variables asociadas a estigma-discriminación percibido en víctimas del conflicto armado colombiano

“…El estigmadiscriminación percibido tiene un impacto negativo en la salud física y mental 6,7,16 . El conflicto armado colombiano genera múltiples estresores y formas de victimización y re-victimización 17 . En consecuencia, las políticas en salud pública deben considerar este problema integralmente y dar prioridad a la atención de las causas fundamentales de las situaciones negativas de salud 18 .…”

The trauma signature of 2016 Hurricane Matthew and the psychosocial impact on Haiti

“…Trauma signature (TSIG) analysis [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] was applied to examine the psychological and mental health effects of Hurricane Matthew. TSIG analysis is defined as "an evidence-based method that examines the interrelationship between population exposure to a disaster, extreme event, or complex emergency; and the inter-related physical and psychological consequences; for the purpose of providing timely, actionable guidance for effective disaster behavioral health (DBH) support that is tailored to the defining features of the event."…”

“…TSIG analyses have been conducted across a spectrum of disasters, both natural and anthropogenic. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] In the depiction of Hurricane Matthew, TSIG analyses are applied to illuminate the manner in which the physical forces of harm associated with this tropical cyclone were tranmuted into psychological outcomes.…”

Socio-demographic patterns of posttraumatic stress disorder in Medellin, Colombia and the context of lifetime trauma exposure

“…Throughout the nation there is nearly-universal exposure to trauma and loss related to the protracted armed insurgency, narco-trafficking (Colombia is the world's leading source nation for cocaine and one of the 2 primary source nations for heroin entering the United States), actions of criminal bands, community violence, intra-familial violence, and sexual and gender-based violence including sex trafficking. [43][44][45] The focus on Medellin is appropriate for examining this theme because this area of Colombia has been a nexus for multiple streams of violence. The department of Antioquia has been a geographic power base for multiple armed actors and the epicenter of operations for the notorious Medellin drug cartel.…”