Support for those affected by sexual violence
Train the trainer programme for MHPSS professionals
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, sexual violence to disrupt societies, is very prevalent. ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre developed training programmes focusing on sexual violence and self-care for HEAL Africa and Cordaid's psychologists and mental health care professionals.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, sexual violence affects women, children, and men alike. As sexual violence is a taboo subject in the region, seeking and finding help is difficult. In 2020, ARQ International collaborated on a study on the impact of sexual violence in the provinces of North and South Kivu. This revealed that the lives of those affected are severely disrupted in many ways. Moreover, women do not always receive the psychological help they need. This study formed the starting point for developing our training programme in Bukavu.
95% of SGBV survivors are women
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Sharing knowledge with others in DR Congo
Based on the findings of this study, ARQ developed training in the care of those affected by sexual violence and in self-care for the psychologists, nurses, and social workers of HEAL Africa and Cordaid. A 'train the trainer' programme enables them, in turn, to share this knowledge with other colleagues.
Psychological support for those affected by sexual violence
The first theme of the training course is learning to recognise the symptoms of women (and men) affected by sexual violence and how to treat them. How do you identify a patient with PTSD? How do you find out more, even if someone does not express themself? What symptoms can you treat as a psychosocial worker, and when should you refer them to a specialist?
Staff care, stress management and peer support
The second theme in the training course is stress management. The key focus is on the employees themselves maintaining good mental health. Healthcare providers often don't think about self-care. Yet, they hear the most gruesome details during consultations with patients. In this training course, they learn how to protect themselves.
Sustainable knowledge exchange
The train-the-trainer programme allows healthcare professionals to pass on their newly acquired knowledge directly to their own teams. The skills learned are immediately implemented, and the knowledge is further disseminated. So far, the Congolese trainers have reached over 86 of their peers in five One-Stop Centers in North and South Kivu. In addition, ARQ trainers learn from Congolese healthcare professionals, working collaboratively to adapt international tools to address the effects of psychotrauma in the local context.
ARQ International continues to provide mentorship and supervision to the Congolese trainers to support them in their new roles providing specialised knowledge to their peers.
Would you like more information about possible cooperation?
If you would like to know more about the study or the training for those affected by sexual violence, please get in touch with us. Send an email to international@arq.org, and we will respond as soon as possible.
