Social activists seek trauma counselling centre for those witnessing murders, gruesome accidents
MADURAI: In the wake of the rise in the number of gruesome murders occurring in public places across the state, social activists and medical experts have sought the setting up of trauma counselling centres to offer counselling to those who experience emotional distress after witnessing such incidents.
Speaking to TNIE, social activist C Anandraj said that anyone, a victim or witness of accidents, needs trauma counselling. "As such incidents ought to cause severe emotional strain, we need to provide individuals with the tools and resources they need to pull themselves back together and regain control over their lives. This includes learning coping strategies, improving self-esteem, and regaining a sense of safety and security. However, unfortunately, trauma counselling is not a part of the healthcare system itself," he said.
Commenting on the issue, Raj Kumar of Red Cross Society (Madurai) alleged that the government reaches out to the victims, who sustain minor injuries, or the young witnesses or relatives or nearest kin, and merely offers financial compensation or assistance. "They do not take up the issue of emotional stress and the need to offer trauma counselling. In case of disaster management alone, NGOs take note of the emotional issues faced by the victims," he said.
Raj Kumar further added that trauma counselling centres should be set up to provide care for individual trauma cases, such as single murder, accidental death, death due to terminal diseases. "We need such units, similar to PHCs, such that there should be one mental health centre for every 10 wards in Madurai city. Whenever there is a murder or death, a mental health counsellor must reach out to offer counselling to the kin or witnesses," he added.
When contacted, former GRH dean Dr C Dharmaraj said that counselling is required for all kinds of mental issues and problems, but trauma counselling is different. "For minor victims — victims who sustain minor injury — or eye witnesses, the emotional stress is more. For example, a student or staff witnessing the murder of a teacher in a school will definitely be shocked. He/she might avoid going to the school or the spot where the incident took place. Though toll-free numbers are available for counselling or suicide prevention, these are mainly focused on the affected persons. We need to create a system where the health department can directly respond to the aggrieved persons," he said.