Study says 14 out of every 100 adults in Northern Ireland were traumatised as kids by witnessing violence during the Troubles - and 60% of people suffered some form of childhood trauma
A study has suggested 14 out of every 100 of adults in Northern Ireland were traumatised as children by seeing violence during the Troubles.
The study showed that 60% of adults who took part reported at least one traumatic event in their childhood – and three out of 10 said their trauma stemmed from the Troubles.
Of the latter group, almost half said they’d witnessed violence.
And 12.2% of them said they’d been threatened by paramilitaries when they were kids. That’s equivalent to three out of every 100 people in the study.
Meanwhile 8.7% of those traumatised by the Troubles as children said they’d been bereaved by the conflict.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said the results of the study of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the province’s adult population are evidence of a major public health challenge facing Northern Ireland, as kids who suffer trauma are more likely to have mental and physical health problems.
Ms Long said: “For the first time, the true extent of childhood trauma and its impact has been documented and measured for all to see.”
Adding that the study shows “significant levels of trauma continue to impact all communities and across generations”, the Minister said: “The findings from this research are both striking and sobering.
“We now have crucial evidence of how childhood trauma shapes life outcomes in Northern Ireland.
“The findings show clear correlations between higher exposure to trauma in childhood and many negative outcomes, including poorer educational achievement, chronic health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain, increased exposure to domestic violence, addiction, poor mental health and health-harming behaviours.”
The study’s findings, she stated, will be used to drive policies at Stormont.
Said Ms Long: “That 60% of our adult population reports at least one traumatic childhood event, with nearly one in five experiencing four or more, represents a major public health challenge.
“Perhaps most concerning is the evidence that, despite being almost 27 years past the Good Friday Agreement, our younger generation continues to experience trauma linked to paramilitary activity.”
The study, commissioned by the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, was led by a team from Queen’s University Belfast. Researchers surveyed 1,200 participants from Northern Ireland.