PTSD, depression and anxiety among former abductees in Northern Uganda

Table 1 Traumatic events (experienced or witnessed) by more than 70% of the respondents

	Frequency in % (n = 72)
combat situations (armed attacks, ambushes, fighting, crossfire)	99
being forced to fight (with firearms against UPDF or SPLA)	85
witnessing killing or murder (shot during combat, beaten to death, hacked to death with pangas, axes, sticks or knives)	97
witnessed gunshot wound during combat	99
beatings with sticks, logs or pangas for punishment or initiation rituals	93
witnessed beatings	94
witnessed abduction of a first grade family member**	90
witnessed mutilations	82
being forced to carry heavy loads with threat of death for dropping	94
being threatened to death (e.g. for failed escape attempts)	94
fear of starving or dying of thirst	92
sexual abuse by a stranger (incl. rape, attempted rape, "given as wife" to a LRA rebel commander, being raped by UPDF)	97*
giving birth of a child during abduction (with beatings for screaming and no midwifery assistance)	74*

* only percentage of women (n = 31)
** First grade family members are those who are either directly related by blood in the first degree (parents, children, siblings) or related by marriage (husband, wife). We choose this definition in order to obtain valid data on the status of the immediate affected family members.

ISSN: 1752-1505