Interviews with Survivors of Catastrophic Events: Possibilities, Risks, and Culturally Sensitive Perspectives

Background: Interviews with survivors of mass violence, genocide, and other catastrophic events are frequently conducted by non-specialists (e.g., NGOs, journalists, police, courts). Such encounters can risk re-traumatization and place interviewers at risk of secondary traumatization, yet—when trauma-informed and culturally sensitive—they may stabilize survivors and support justice processes. Method: We synthesize evidence from psychotraumatology, forensic psychology, and transcultural psychiatry, drawing on peer-reviewed literature and practice-based insights from work with refugees and survivors. Results: Risks of re-traumatization decrease when interviews are preceded by stabilization, clear informed purpose, culturally attuned communication, and access to psychosocial follow-up; interviewers require organizational safeguards against secondary traumatic stress. The Méndez Principles provide human-rights-based standards for non-coercive, respectful interviewing of witnesses and victims. Conclusions: Interviews in crisis contexts must be trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and ethically grounded. Interdisciplinary collaboration between legal, medical, and psychosocial professionals—and preparedness for both survivor safety and interviewer well-being—are essential for valid, humane, and just documentation.