The Ravages of War: Child Soldiers An estimated quarter-million children serve as unwilling combatants in wars today, most of them kidnapped from their families and forced to serve as soldiers. Child soldiers not only suffer torture and violence, they are also often forced to commit atrocities against others. Not surprisingly, these children suffer from very high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (Bayer & others, 2007; Kohrt & others, 2008). One survey of former child soldiers in refugee camps in Uganda found that 97 percent of the children suffered from PTSD symptoms (see J. Dawson, 2007; Derluyn & others, 2004). Rehabilitation centers have been established throughout Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where many of these children live, but more assistance is desperately needed (Ursano & Shaw, 2007). This girl hides her eyes during a role-playing game at a rehabilitation center. Role-playing is used to help children cope with the trauma of the violence that they saw or took part in.

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