PROJECT DETAILS:

Violent crimes, sexual assaults, domestic violence, car accidents, natural or man-made disasters, whether small-scale or national, are all traumatic events.

TRAUMATIC EVENTS are defined as unexpected, life-threatening or perceived to be life-threatening events that we have little or no control over, that happen to us OR that we witness happening to others. In addition, trauma experts regard all ongoing abuse and neglect of children as traumatic. We must therefore conclude that, Trinidad and Tobago has experienced considerable traumatic events. This does not just have an impact on individuals, but also on families, communities, and finally the nation, impeding our national development. The effects of untreated trauma include severe psychological dysfunction, violent crime, gang activity, drug and alcohol use, inability to work, and psychiatric illnesses such as depression, suicide and homicide.

Victims of such events require specialized care in order to recover mentally and emotionally from the measurable and profound changes that occur in their brains and are evident in their behaviours and attitudes as a result. Such injuries, if not attended to, can result in the emergence of undesirable behaviours and violent crimes.

Most at-risk youth have experienced at least two (2) clearly established traumatic events in their lives before they reach the age of twelve. A report on the screening of applicants (ages 16 – 21 years) for 2009’s entry in to the Ministry of National Security’s SYSP (Specialised Youth Service Programme) youth-at-risk residential programmes, indicates that the majority of applicants had experienced several traumatic events. There is a critical need for National Trauma Clinics in Trinidad and Tobago to heal our victims of trauma.

TTAP has on its agenda, the development of a Trauma Centre, where quality professional trauma treatment can be administered to those in need of it.