When the war was over, little changed: women's posttraumatic suffering after the war in Mozambique.

Prolonged exposure to civil war in central Mozambique leads to sequential traumatic experiences for most women, producing ill health that ranges from posttraumatic stress symptoms to episodes of spirit possession (gamba). These effects impair women's ability to conceive and raise children and marginalize their social position. The study assessed 91 women using quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors recommend careful analysis of women's specific problems and needs in postwar contexts, along with systematic examination of available resources that may aid trauma recovery.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article explores the psychosocial effects of women's prolonged exposure to civil war in the center of Mozambique. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, 91 women were assessed for posttraumatic stress symptoms and psychosocial indicators of ill health. The results indicate that for the majority of the women in this study, traumatic experiences are sequential processes. Their ill health ranges from symptoms of posttraumatic stress to episodes of spirit possession (gamba), affecting women's capacities to conceive and raise children, and marginalizing their social position. A careful analysis of the specific problems and needs of women in postwar contexts is recommended, along with a systematic examination of the effectiveness of the available resources that may play a role in boosting trauma recovery in this group of women.