Human Rights Violations in Latin America: Reparation and Rehabilitation

Description

A timely contribution to the study of peace psychology in Latin America, this volume describes clinical, psychosocial, and community interventions with victims from Mexico to Chile from the 1970s onward. Chapters analyze how to conceptualize complex processes such as the appropriation of children and political repression, raising psychological, juridical, and political implications for the victims, their families, human rights organizations, and society. Also included are studies and analyses of political processes in countries currently undergoing crises such as Venezuela and Colombia and the challenges posed by the peace process from a political psychology perspective. All authors present the results of studies or clinical cases illustrating creative methodologies and practices in different contexts. This book provides the context for differences in the victims' damages and the treatment approaches and methodologies adopted in each case. The authors outline psychological perspectives grounded in ethical and professional choices based on recognizing people's dignity while seeking rehabilitation and reparations for victims, families, and communities. It paves the way for reparations and rehabilitation, and ultimately to the establishment of democracy and peace in this part of the world. Readers will benefit from understanding the relationship between mental health and human rights understanding ethical and professional dimensions a broadened knowledge of working with victims Acknowledgments Contents About the Authors Chapter 1: Psychology and Human Rights: An Introduction Outline of the Book Conclusions References Part I: History, Situations, Concepts, and Approaches Chapter 2: Psychology and Human Rights in Chile: Assistance, Registration, Denunciation, Rehabilitation, and Reparation Introduction Emergency Psychological Support: 1973–1975 From Emergency to Institutionalization New Mental Health Programs Main Concepts of the Psychological Approach of Mental Health Teams International and Academic Relations Between Mental Health and Human Rights Teams Recognition and Reparation of Victims The Past That Still Lives in the Present References Chapter 3: Method of Forced Disappearance and Trials for Crimes Against Humanity: A Dialogue Between the Legal and Subjective Dimensions—Specifics of the Argentine Case Introduction The Trials and Amnesty Laws The Imprint Left by Disappearance on Society: Victims’ Efforts in Court Between the Legal and the Clinical Disappearance as Torture: Its Effects on Survivors and the Families of the Disappeared Trauma in Survivors of Clandestine Detention Centers The Mourning of Forced Disappearance: Unregistered Mourning That Never Ends The Narration of Trauma in Court In Closing: Crimes Against Humanity, Challenges and Support from the Legal and Clinical Dimensions References Chapter 4: Locating Children Appropriated by Dictatorships of the Southern Cone: Questioning Identities Traces... The Appropriations Restitution The Discourse of “Abuelas” Over Time The “Restitution” Debate Events That Weave the Story(ies) into Life Narratives: Dis-encounters in the Encounter Dilemmatic Identities The Process Within the Socio-Historical Evolution By Way of In-Conclusion References Chapter 5: Photography and Film in the Experience of Identity Restitution: Writing with Light Introduction: Mamá Coco and Her Missing Father Appropriation and Restitution of Children: Clinical and Social Consequences Photography in Clinician Restitution: Imaginary, Symbolic, Real Traces Film: Filial Photograms By Way of Synthesis References Part II: Psychosocial Assistance and Intervention Methodologies Chapter 6: The Method and Methodology of Psychosocial Accompaniment Work: A Contribution for At-Risk Defenders in Mexico The Current Sociopolitical Scene in Mexico and the Political Stakes of the Organization “Aluna Acompañamiento Psicosocial” (Aluna Psychosocial Accompaniment) Aluna’s Psychosocial Accompaniment: Work Method, Model, and Methodology Defending Territory Means Fighting for Life… Final Reflections References Chapter 7: Construction of a Model of Psychosocial Care and Support: Training of Peer Psychosocial Companions—An Experience from Mexico Historical Context The “Dirty War” The “Zapatista Movement,” the “Acteal Massacre,” and the “Aguas Blancas Massacre” Femicides in Ciudad Juárez The Narco War and the Crisis of Disappearances in Mexico Assistance Actions and Psychosocial Support The Mexican Model of Psychosocial Care and Accompaniment (MMAAPSI) Methodological Approach to the Formation of Peer Psychosocial Companions Discussion and Conclusions References Part III: Psychotherapeutic Interventions Chapter 8: Psychotherapy with Former Political Prisoners in Uruguay: The Vision of the Therapists Introduction On Political Prison and Torture Psychosocial Care Clinic Contributions of SERSOC Psychotherapy and Late Effects of Torture Reasons for Consultation and Late Effects Therapeutic Goals The Place of Politics in the Treatments Process Analysis of the Experiences of Torture Provide More Emotional Support Than Interpretation Contributions of Group Psychotherapy Final Thoughts References Chapter 9: Arpilleras of Sexual and Domestic Violence in Post-War Guatemala: Accompaniment in Processes of Psychosocial Reparation Introduction: Arpilleras, Patches of Repair for Violence Against Women The Protagonists and the Context of Reconstruction of the Experience Dimensions of Psychosocial Analysis of the Arpilleras Group Process Emotional Setting and Group Cohesion Symbolic and Projective Representations of Trauma Psychosocial Impact of Violence Reintegration of the Traumatic Experience By Way of Conclusions. Creativity and Reparation with Survivors of Violence References Chapter 10: Group Therapeutic Strategies and Human Rights. Human Rights Violations in Chile Introduction: Trauma and Groupness Consequences of Political Repression on Groupness Self-Help Groups, Community Interventions, and Group Interventions Group Interventions with Returnees from Exile Group Processes and Fear Group Psychotherapies with Adolescents and Young People Group Psychotherapy with Adults Conclusion References Part IV: Psychological and Psychosocial Approach and Support During Forensic Examinations and Trials Chapter 11: El Mozote Massacre: Expert Research and Challenges of Psychosocial Reparation Introduction: “From Madness to Hope”: In Context Memory and Truth Methodology, Participants, Objectives, Procedure, and Instruments Stages of the Research Results The Horror Map Women, Girls, and Boys The Impact on the Community Surviving Victims Focus Group Forced Displacement Impunity, Justice, and the Search for the Truth The Personal Impact on Health The Memory Narrated as Part of the Psychosocial Repair Process Ruling of the Inter-American Human Rights Court References Chapter 12: Psychosocial Work in the Transitional Justice Framework: The Women of Sepur Zarco The Armed Conflict in Guatemala Women of Sepur Zarco The Psychosocial Situation of Women at the Beginning of Work Psychosocial Work Prior to the Justice Process Initial Elements of Psychosocial Work The Judicial Case of the Women of Sepur Zarco Conclusions References Chapter 13: Contribution of the Psycho-forensic Evidence in the Inter-American Court in the Case of Lonkos and Mapuche Indigenous Leaders Versus Chile Introduction The Inter-American Human Rights System Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples The Mapuche People in Chile Antiterrorist Law and Criminalization of Demands for Indigenous Rights in Chile Lonkos Case and Mapuche Leaders’ vs. Chile in Inter-American Court Psychosocial Effects of Prosecutions for Crimes Considered Terrorist Documentation Procedure Expert Documentation Instruments Effects of the Prosecutions and Convictions of Mapuche Authorities and Leaders Traumatic Events Associated with the Use of the Antiterrorist Law Cultural Factors and Mapuche Resilience The Condemnation of Chile from the Inter-American Court Relevance of the Judgment Conclusion References Part V: Psychosocial Reparations: Challenges of Victim’s Recognition Chapter 14: Testimony and Symbolic Reparation: The Clinica do Testemunho Project in Rio de Janeiro Background The 1964 Civil-Military Coup and Its Context The Dictatorship and Its Effect on Subjectivity Reparation The Struggles for Human Rights and Democracy From Social Movement to State Commitment: The “Clinica do Testemunho” Project in Rio de Janeiro Testimonials in the Clinica do Testemunho Project in Rio de Janeiro The Implementation of the Project Conclusions References Chapter 15: The Clinics of Testimony: New Ways of Recognition Through Group Listening to Military Personnel Introduction: Description of the Civic-Military Dictatorship and Transitional Justice in Brazil Clinics of Testimony Testimony as a Clinical-Political Tool Testimony Group with Military Personnel From the Clinic of Truth to the Clinic of Testimony Characteristics of the Group Clinical Profiles Final Considerations References Chapter 16: Colonia Dignidad: Lights and Shadows in the Recognition of the Victims General Context Description of the Structure and Operation of Colonia Dignidad The Victimizer Pattern: A Psychosocial Approach Mental Health Interventions The Challenges of Historical Memory of Human Rights Violations Conclusions References Part VI: Political and Psychosocial Challenges of Transitions Chapter 17: Political Transition and Social Reparation in Venezuela: Challenges of Democratic Reconstruction From the Illusion of Change to Social Fracture Social Polarization: “Us or Them”? Antagonistic Social Representations: The Other Enemy The Challenges of the Venezuelan Transition Social Reparation Processes The Peace Agenda Memory-Justice and Truth Human Rights Violations Truth Commission Pacification, Reconciliation, Social Peace, and Democratization in Post-conflict Situation and Democratic Transition Training, Research, Social Awareness, Dissemination Democratic Reconstruction: The Challenge of Coexistence References Chapter 18: Psychology and Human Rights in Colombia: Contributions to Peacebuilding Introduction Armed Conflict in Colombia Psychosocial Consequences of Human Rights Violations During the Armed Conflict Psychosocial Intervention for the Restoration of Human Rights in the Context of the Colombian Armed Conflict: A Case Study A Multidimensional Perspective for the Promotion of Human Rights in Colombia Proposal for the Future to Advance in the Guarantee of Human Rights from Psychology in Colombia References Chapter 19: Working Mental Health in Peru Introduction: The Development of Mental Health in Peru Community Mental Health in the Context of Public Health Community Mental Health from the Academia and Civil Society Organizations Visions and Interventions The Internal Armed Conflict Mental Health in the CVR Process (2001–2003) The Methodology Psychosocial Sequelae The Reparation Process Towards a Mental Health Law Towards a Reform in Mental Health Care (Minsa) References Index