In 1975 Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge rebels overthrew the Cambodian government and began a reign of terror. The Khmer Rouge eliminated banking, finance and currency. Religion was outlawed. City-dwellers were relocated and forced to work on farms.

In only four years approximately 21 percent of the country's population died from execution, disease, starvation and overwork.

Today, Cambodians still suffer from the brutalities of the Khmer Rouge. Survivors of the regime deal with depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder and physical pain. The country continues to endure extreme violence, including sex trafficking, land-grabbing, torture in prison, rape and serious domestic violence.

Hope for Healing

CVT is laying the groundwork for healing with the Trauma Healing Initiative-Cambodia (THI). The four-year program began in mid-2006 and is building a network of agencies and traditional leaders to promote healing of the wounds of torture and trauma.

To create a healing community CVT works closely with its implementing partner, the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) of Cambodia to:

• Train local Cambodian clinicians from different disciplines and agencies who will then build a larger network of resources for survivors.
• Conduct a publicity campaign to educate people on self-coping techniques and services available, to coincide with the start of the Khmer Rouge tribunals.
• Provide additional clinical skills and education to a network of community trauma treatment resources.
• Promote multi-disciplinary models of care specific to Cambodian culture that can be evaluated and repeated throughout the country.
• Produce treatment and clinical training manuals for reference and sustaining capacity-building efforts.

Learn more about the Trauma Healing Initiative-Cambodia here.

A TPO of Cambodia poster showing the psychosocial effects of mass trauma and atrocities.

Funding for this effort is provided by USAID Victims of Torture Fund, the McKnight Foundation and US Institute for Peace.