The study provides quantitative evidence of the profound demographic, social, and psychological impact of the Genocide. Among respondents who were adults in 1994 (called Genocide Generation Adults), 34% reported having experienced the murder or unexpected death of a close family member; 22% witnessed severe injury or death; and 28% experienced malnutrition. Females reported higher rates of family loss, illness/injury, and physical/sexual violence than males. Males were more likely to have witnessed violence and been forced to flee during the Genocide. The Post-Genocide Generation, born after 1994, reported less knowledge of family trauma, with a significant gap in awareness of specific traumatic events. (Figure 5.16)
Rather than single roles (e.g., victim, perpetrator, rescuer), most reported having multiple roles during the Genocide that would likely have depended in part on circumstances affecting the various needs and capacity to act under dire situations. Among Genocide Generation Adult respondents, 14% self-identified as being targeted; 19% faced harm for reasons other than being targeted; 37% refused to harm those targeted; 32% refused to betray them; 28% helped those targeted; and 4% were later imprisoned for genocide acts. Of the 154 who candidly self-identified as having been imprisoned, 146 became baptized Witnesses after the Genocide and 8 were baptized Witnesses by 1994. (Figure 5.17)
Figure 5.16, Traumatic Events During the Period of the Genocide Reported by Those in Rwanda During the Genocide About Personal Experiences and Those Born After 1994 About Family’s Experiences
Figure 5.17, Role-Situations of Adults in Genocide Generation, Total and by Gender
