Piracy Trauma Study
Piracy Study
In conjunction with the Disaster Psychiatry Outreach (DPO) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, the Seamen's Church Institute has developed a multi-year project exploring the clinical assessment and treatment of piracy attack survivors. SCI’s study of the impact of piracy on seafarers and their families is the first of its kind in the maritime industry.
SCI’s program seeks to identify unique stressors of piracy hostage situations, along with immediate and ongoing medical evaluation strategies for crewmembers and their families. Study outcomes include plans for clinically assessing seafarers after piracy incidents, assisting families during prolonged piracy episodes, and triaging short- and long-term mental health treatment.
Guidelines
Latest Version Published Below: Aug 2011 (ver. 3.0)
The following guidelines provide a general structure to care for seafarers following a piracy incident. These guidelines emerge from a study currently underway at the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) designed to develop recommendations for clinical assessment and intervention. SCI welcomes comments from interested parties as it develops specific guidelines to address the mental health impact of piracy on seafarers. This document addresses a continuum—from transiting high-risk areas without incident to prolonged captivity of seafarers.
Other Resources
Informational cards on debriefing and assessments.Click here to download.
Click here to download.
Contact
The success of SCI's study depends on information gathered from the maritime industry. Click here to download an information card to share with seafarers and their families. It contains information and contact details for SCI's study. All responses held in the strictest confidence.
To contact SCI's Clinical Researcher, Dr. Michael Stuart Garfinkle,
telephone: +1 212-349-9090
email: mgarfinkle@seamenschurch.org
Skype: drgarfinkle
or write the Center for Seafarers' Rights at
The Seamen's Church Institute
241 Water Street
New York, NY 10038-2016
USA
For general Piracy Study inquiries, email piracy@seamenschurch.org
LAW & ADVOCACY
SCI operates the world’s only full-time, free legal aid program for merchant mariners. The Center for Seafarers’ Rights works to improve laws and practices that protect mariners and increase the safety and security of the maritime industry.