Document Type

Paper

Publication Date

Spring 2025

Abstract

In 1988, a rebel group called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) formed in Northern Uganda. A civil war broke out between the LRA and the government, lasting more than two decades and affecting almost the entire population of Northern Uganda. Children were some of the most impacted by the conflict, as the LRA’s primary strategy was abducting children and forcibly recruiting them as sexual slaves (brides), manual laborers, and soldiers.First, this paper establishes the historical and political backdrop of the conflict, providing context for the psychological impacts that abduction into war had on children, Acholi culture, and the communities involved. As Northern Uganda heals and rebuilds from the outbreak of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group that terrorized the region, psychologists and researchers have flocked to study the implications of reintegrating formerly abducted youths into their previous communities, and how trauma impacts post-conflict healing. Many organizations have stepped into this healing journey, implementing helpful strategies for overcoming trauma and promoting restoration in the region of Northern Uganda. Amidst this difficult task is the guiding and healing hand of the Father, making faith integration of utmost importance.

Notes

Course: OVC 493, OVC Senior Capstone (Dr. Carol Sisson)

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