Lived Experience of Secondary Vicarious Trauma Among the Tegaru Australian Diaspora in the Postwar Context of Tigray

Background The war in Tigray has caused humanitarian and public health crises in North Ethiopia in addition to a high prevalence of mental health symptoms among the Tegaru (people from Tigray) diaspora in Australia. To date, there have been no studies that have explored mechanisms of vicarious mental health and resilience among Tegaru diasporas in Australia. Methods We conducted 14 in‐depth interviews with Tegaru people living in South Australia from September 2023 to June 2024. Data analysis involved an initial stage of open coding, followed by conceptual coding. We also applied “interanalyst validity” to validate the code of framework. Results All participants talked at length about various aspects of vicarious trauma, including (a) psychological and emotional impacts such as media‐induced stress, communication loss, anger, trauma related to family loss, and gender‐based violence; (b) physical impacts, including sleep disturbances and health deterioration; (c) social impacts, such as narrative hate, perceived betrayal, and disruption of social ties; and (d) economic impacts, including financial strain and job loss. Coping mechanisms included strategies such as avoiding non‐Tegaru media or community, religious support, social networking, and mental resilience. Conclusions The findings highlight the multifaceted and far‐reaching impacts of the Tigray conflict on the Tegaru diaspora in Australia, extending beyond immediate psychological distress to broader social, economic, and communication aspects. The identified coping strategies underscored both the resilience and vulnerability of affected individuals. The findings imply the urgent need of culturally adapted peer‐support and trauma‐informed care programs for diaspora communities.