Nearly half a century after Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime murdered at least 2 million people in Cambodia – a quarter of the country’s population – fresh terror lingers in the bodies, minds, and even the dreams of survivors.
Refugees of the genocide who resettled in California have faced difficulties accessing the mental health services they need. Some of these challenges include language barriers and a lack of providers familiar with Cambodian/Khmer culture or the unique traumas affecting the community.
Thanks to dedicated Cambodian/Khmer mental health workers, some survivors have been receiving treatment that recognizes these cultural and psychological complexities. The healing work has been bearing fruit in refugees’ latter years.
