Zócalo Public Square

Violence affects young African American men more than any other group. Homicide is the leading cause of death for black men between the ages of 15 and 34. In every major U.S. city, black men are more likely than others to be shot or stabbed. But what about the psychological wounds of trauma? Like victims of combat violence or sexual assault, victims of urban violence often suffer post traumatic symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks and loss of the ability to feel emotions. How does trauma change the lives of these men and feed the cycle of violence? John A. Rich, a MacArthur Fellow and author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Trauma and Violence in the Lives of Young Black Men, visited Zócalo to discuss how to prevent and heal the hidden wounds of violence.