Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence A case study of North Kashmir

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to draw the picture of the lives and experiences of the men in Kashmir who opted for radical means of resistance towards their political goals. It is an endeavor to evaluate their lives from pre-militant days to the present lives as ex newlinemilitants. This study applies a psycho-social lens to study the various problems faced by the ex-militants. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors which motivated the youth to join militant organizations, experiences of being a militant and experience of being an ex-militant. Thus, the research question of: What is your personal experience of militancy? Was the grand tour question which was followed by a series of sub newlinequestions? It focuses on the impact of various socio-economic and psychological factors on their lives. The study attempts to understand how the ex-militants perceive their world, what are their sufferings, challenges, strengths and struggles. The study also delves on how the society reacts to their condition especially in light of persistent nature newlineof Kashmir s armed conflict. The study is based on twenty-five in-depth interviews with the ex-militants. The results revealed that the ex-militants suffer immensely because of various problems like stigmatization, disability as a result of torture, less livelihood avenues, physical and psychological trauma, problems related to families, harassment by the state and non-state actors. Insecurity is central to the narratives of the ex-militants. Taking their accounts and individual experience as a central point the study brings to highlight their sundry experiences. Further, the study provides the solution of their problems by formulating a possible social work intervention. Reintegration of ex militants desperately requires the social work service. Unfortunately, Social work practice in armed conflict or Post conflict reconstruction has been largely overlooked by the social work profession. The contemporary understanding of social work practice in armed conflict and post...