Female Survivors of the Genocide Against Tutsi : A Qualitative Literature Review and Group Treatment Protocol

The slaughter of nearly one million Tutsi and moderate Hutu in the span of 100 daysduring the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi in Rwanda left an indelible imprint on the mentalhealth of genocide survivors. Research on the mental health of post-genocide survivorsreveals deeply embedded social and psychological wounds that many Rwandans sustained asa result of the extreme trauma they experienced. I have examined the underpinnings of theGenocide Against Tutsi and the impact of the trauma inflicted as a result. I emphasized theimpact of trauma on female survivors and have identified culturally informed interventionsthat are beneficial for treating symptoms of trauma in female survivors of the GenocideAgainst Tutsi. Furthermore, I have provided a series of mental health interventions tosupplement existing approaches already available for Rwandan survivors of genocide.