Battered victims get counselling

New Delhi:

New Delhi:

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As victims of the communal riots that shook north-east Delhi last week take stock of their losses and try to rebuild their lives, many complain of sleepless nights, bouts of anxiety, and severe depression.

On Wednesday, the Delhi government announced that every relief camp will have one mohalla clinic and one counselling centre for the victims.

“Although we feel safe at the camp, we can’t sleep at night sometimes. It is difficult to get the violent scenes out of our mind. Those who have rented accommodation can move to other localities if they want. For people like us, who have our houses there, the thought of living there again causes stress,” said Rubina Khatoon, a resident of Shiv Vihar, who fled with her children as mobs barged into her neighbourhood.

Last week, the Delhi High Court had directed the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) to provide sufficient number of qualified professionals to counsel victims with post-trauma stress.

Speaking about the arrangements, director Nimesh Desai said they had started separate crisis support and counselling centres at IHBAS on February 28 to treat riot victims. “Our team also went to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and screened for those having serious physical injuries and assess who needed help.” Desai said over 50 such victims had been counselled so far at both the centres.

IHBAS is closely working with non-governmental organisations working in the field. “Volunteers and relief workers will be sensitised to provide psychological first-aid. We will be looking at the well-being of these volunteers,” Desai said, adding this work will begin next week, and camps will be set up in riot-hit areas “if needed.”

“Generally in disasters or conflict situations like these, in the first one or two weeks, physical needs like safety, food and water are primary. Psychological experiences emerge a little later. It is important not to rush into providing help and assistance,” he said

The team is working on establishing contacts with the kin of the deceased. “We want to be careful about treading ethical boundaries and not landing on their doorsteps offering psychiatric help as it might traumatise them further. We are working on a protocol to deal with such cases,” he said.

In addition to sensitising volunteers for adult victims, IHBAS will engaging with schoolchildren as a part of the school-health scheme of the Delhi government and offer counselling to students, teachers and other staff. This is being done to ensure maximum integration instead of creating “separate verticals” for mental health issues. They will also work with Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to help young children or those out of school.