Since Exposure to Mental Trauma, Especially War Trauma, Causes Personality Changes, Should Deliberate Exposure to Mental Health Trauma of Civilians Be in Itself a War Crime?

ABSTRACT

Mental trauma is a consequence of war. Here we consider whether the inflicting of such trauma, which could cause personality changes, should be considered a war crime in its own right, especially when it is civilians who are exposed to mental trauma. We make the argument based on a review of the development of personality disorders in persons exposed to mental trauma caused by war, and we make the argument that it is possible to demonstrate both physiological and anatomical changes in the brain of such persons, which could account for the observed behavioural and personality changes. Therefore we argue that deliberate exposure to Mental Health Trauma, for example by deliberate targeting of civilian areas with artillery, should be considered a war crime in its own right irrespective of whether the civilians receive physical trauma or not.