Table 1 Pattern of trauma experiences and symptoms encountered by six female Yezidi survivors rescued from ISIL
Thematic narratives experienced by Yezidi survivors: | Trauma symptom experiences of Yezidi survivors |
|---|---|
o ISIL attack the Yezidi community in Northern Iraq o This involves high levels of terror, fear and extreme violence—including deliberate acts of humiliation and dehumanisation o Members of the Yezidi community are segregated with families separated and torn apart o Yezidi males are brought in front their community and then massacred o Yezidi females (particularly young woman) are abducted—being moved, in some cases, great distances o The Yezidi survivors interviewed spent periods in large groups with other women following their immediate abduction—this increased individual and collective levels of terror and fear o These abducted women and young girls are then sold as ‘sex slaves’ to ISIL fighters o Many survivors were sold for small amounts of money (approximately $15–30—in some cases, for as little as a packet of cigarettes) o Virgin Yezidi girls were highly prized by ISIL fighters/jihadists o Once in captivity, survivors are subjected to repeated sexual, physical and psychological violence; torture; and humiliation o Several Yezidi survivors described making attempts at suicide and self-harm o A frequent trauma narrative by Yezidi survivors—a choice: ‘convert to Islam and have one husband’ or ‘keep your Yezidi faith’ and you will be passed from one Jihadist to another (multiple abusers o Those that managed to escape—their families had to pay large ransoms (approximately $5000), with very little means to repay this o Yezidi survivors recounted that the Yezidi community has been very welcoming to those fortunate to return | o Flashbacks and intrusive recollections o Nightmares and poor sleep pattern o Heightened anxiety o Helplessness o Feelings of self-blame and ‘over-responsibility’ o Powerlessness o Feeling detached o Suicidal thoughts and self-destructiveness o Low mood/depression o Phobic reactions o Low self-esteem o Difficulty managing emotions o Changes in ‘world view’ o Changes in consciousness o Anger and resentment o Over-responsibility o High levels of shame/guilt o Heightened sense of fear and anxiety o Fear of retribution: rationale and irrational o Disgust o Secrecy o Transference/counter-transference o Quasi power and control o When there are ‘no words’ and language is ‘insufficient’ o Unspoken trauma |