Trauma can never be fully explained in words. Every person’s experience with trauma is completely different. But we do know how much trauma can affect a person mentally and physically. It will scare them forever. A woman experience with physical or sexual violence can be traumatic to even think about. Its her own personal, heart-breaking story.

 In Kenya, 39% of women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. That is why we must reconnect mental and physical health. We will never fully understand what exactly is going through every woman’s mind after an experience like that. But, what we have realized in recent years is how much mental health can affect physical health. Reframing violence against women and trauma as health issues can really challenge our understandings of health, illness, and medicine. Many may not view this as health issues, rather as legal issues. But, we must shape our minds to view the reprocussions of violence against women as health issues as many face mental issues from it. 

After watching the video War on Women from this week, I was completely heartbroken. Not only was it terrifying to hear the women experience of sexual and physical trauma, it was extremely terrifying to hear men committing the crimes talk about it casually. In developing countries such a Congo like in the video, I think it is so important to start reshaping how they view these types of issues. While even the woman in the video said that there is heavy repercussions for committing rape, not many are convicted. Yet, people talk about it like its normal to be raped. 

In Kenya, many women may be blamed for their sexual assaults. Commonly the same in the united states, victims may be blamed for their raped because of the way they dressed or provoked a man. Or that a man is entitled to sex because their married or he gave the woman a gift. Many women also experience delays at health facilities, police stations, and courts. It also does not help that Kenya has strict abortion laws, which causes more trauma for surviors. Changing the stigma in Kenya would help women heal their mind, body, and spirit. Not being able to get the help they need because there is a stigma against a women’s experience with sexual assaults can harm their health extremely. Imagine not seeking help for PTSD or being able to get that help because there is no access to mental health services. You have to live with that pain every single day of your life. 

While many of us understand “mainstream” versions of sexual assault and violence, in Kenya many young girls face Female Genitial Mutilation. 21% of women will experience female genitial mutilation in Kenya. In Kenyan culture, this may be a rite of passage for many as a woman. But, it is a type of violence against women. It ruins a woman’s chance of an education, as many are married off and can never return back to school.  This ruins a woman’s life forever. Not only is she being physically tormented, she is being forced in a child marriage most of the time, raped, and forced into bearing child pregnancies. The physical torment is enough, but mentally these women go through so much. I think this example can really lead into intergenerational trauma.

The idea of intergenerational trauma is that trauma can be transferred from first-generation trauma survivors to further generations through forms of PTSD. I think this really challenges our biochemical models of health. A biochemical model of health excludes psychological, environmental, and social influences. In intergenerational trauma, all of these come into play. It is not just what is happening in our biological systems, but our environment and social influences play a big role. In the example of FGM, not only are these women’s biological systems being disturbed, but their social interactions, their environment, and they are left with a lasting effect mentally. 

Wangamati, Cynthia. “Why Attitudes towards Sexual Violence in Kenya Need a Major Refresh.” The Conversation, May 18, 2019. http://theconversation.com/why-attitudes-towards-sexual-violence-in-kenya-need-a-major-refresh-100033.