Dublin Core
Title
Inherited Scars: Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma Following Sexual Violence
Description
A child may never experience war directly and still grow up carrying its consequences.
This reality is at the heart of Inherited Scars: War, Trauma, and the Brain, a new article published by Synergy and written by Dr. Dina Al Shafie, Forensic Psychiatrist and Mental Health Expert, with contributions from Survivor Experts Elizabeth Atieno, Ajna Jusić, Meris Mushanovich, and Venesa Sulimani. Through scientific research and lived experience, the article explores how trauma can be carried across generations and continue to shape lives long after conflict has ended.
Trauma can influence how people experience safety, build relationships, respond to stress, and engage with the world around them. Through expert analysis and lived experiences, the article examines how trauma, stigma, silence, and injustice can affect individuals, families, and communities across generations.
At the same time, the article highlights pathways towards healing, recognition, and resilience. The experiences shared by survivor contributors demonstrate the importance of acknowledgment, supportive relationships, survivor-centred justice, and access to care in breaking cycles of harm. Their stories remind us that trauma can be passed on across generations, but so can strength, dignity, and hope.
This reality is at the heart of Inherited Scars: War, Trauma, and the Brain, a new article published by Synergy and written by Dr. Dina Al Shafie, Forensic Psychiatrist and Mental Health Expert, with contributions from Survivor Experts Elizabeth Atieno, Ajna Jusić, Meris Mushanovich, and Venesa Sulimani. Through scientific research and lived experience, the article explores how trauma can be carried across generations and continue to shape lives long after conflict has ended.
Trauma can influence how people experience safety, build relationships, respond to stress, and engage with the world around them. Through expert analysis and lived experiences, the article examines how trauma, stigma, silence, and injustice can affect individuals, families, and communities across generations.
At the same time, the article highlights pathways towards healing, recognition, and resilience. The experiences shared by survivor contributors demonstrate the importance of acknowledgment, supportive relationships, survivor-centred justice, and access to care in breaking cycles of harm. Their stories remind us that trauma can be passed on across generations, but so can strength, dignity, and hope.
Creator
Dr Dina Al Shafie, Elizabeth Atieno, Ajna Jusić, Meris Musanović, and Venesa Sulimani.
Rights
© Synergy for Justice June 2026. All rights reserved, worldwide.
Format
PDF
Language
English