Dealing with trauma in SA environment - LifeLine Jhb

The high levels of corruption and harsh economic conditions further contribute to growing anger, helplessness and stress in our society.

Continuous survival mode

"In the context of the South African environment where the incidence of violent crime and its resulting trauma is prevalent, the fear of trauma being continuous, and happening again and again, is not irrational. Some South Africans live in a state of hyper-vigilance, i.e. South Africans are in continuous survival mode," says Jankelowitz.

Through 42 years of manning telephone calls and offering face-to-face counselling to members of the public in distress, LifeLine Johannesburg (including LifeLine Soweto and LifeLine Alexandra) has developed a good understanding of trauma and how to assist people in dealing with trauma.

LifeLine Johannesburg provides free and affordable trauma counselling and debriefing services to the public sector, and LifeLine Corporate provides Employment Wellness Services to the private sector.

In April 2011, LifeLine Johannesburg was requested by the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development to set up a Victim Empowerment Programme. This entailed taking over Victim Support Centres at 17 police stations and managing the 62 existing volunteer victim supporters manning them.

Effects of trauma

Trauma results in many adverse psychological effects including post-traumatic stress reactions, anger, depression and strained interpersonal relationships which in turn have knock-on effects on families and communities. Individuals, families and communities that have dealt with the psychosocial aftermaths of violence and trauma are better equipped to resolve differences/conflicts, and deal with difficulties without resorting to violence, which in turn translates into greater social cohesion and a more peaceful society. In order to address the needs of our traumatised nation, it is essential that easily accessible psychosocial facilities are made available to the many victims impacted.

Victim empowerment strategies are critically important even though such strategies are often devalued, and viewed simply as 'remedial' measures which occur after the fact and which contribute little or nothing to prevention. But in reality, if untreated, today's victim is potentially tomorrow's perpetrator. It is well-documented that trauma resulting from violent crime and repeated exposure to violence, if left unaddressed and unresolved, very likely leads to the victim becoming the perpetrator. Victim empowerment is therefore about intervening proactively in a cycle of violence, and is a vital dimension of effective crime and trauma prevention.

"LifeLine Johannesburg is stepping into this cycle of violence to meet the trauma counselling needs of the Greater Johannesburg community that it serves. Its trauma response services aim to alleviate trauma reactions and assist people to integrate and make sense/meaning of traumatic experiences in order to strengthen community mental health," concludes Jankelowitz.

The LifeLine Johannesburg Counselling Line operates 24/7 - 365 days a year; call tel: +27 (0)11 728 1347.