The Cost of Bearing Witness - A Trauma-Informed Guide for Human Rights Activists Facing Digital Violence

Nuran Clinic's mission is to support individuals or groups of people directly or indirectly affected by war, forced migration and other forms of political violence. Recently, many Human Rights Activists, Journalists, and Diaspora Organizers have told us about their experiences related to documenting the atrocities in Iran. They have said...

"I'm feeling numb. I'm feeling disconnected from my emotions. I'm feeling guilty because I should be feeling more about what's happening in Iran."

People who have spent hours documenting the events in Iran have been subjected to intense repeated trauma from viewing extreme levels of human suffering on their computers. That screen represents a place where the evidentiary history of these events is etched into your nervous system.

Let me clarify, in clinical terms:

Even though you may experience emotional numbness, that does not indicate that you do not share your empathy with others; rather, emotional numbness is a way for a protective nervous system to allow the individual to cope with living in a state of "threat."

Understanding Trauma on the “Digital Frontline”

The nervous system does not distinguish very well between danger in one's immediate surroundings and danger that is being witnessed on a computer/almost in real-time through pictures or audio.

If an individual repeatedly views footage of violence, torture, execution, and mass detention, it is possible for that individual to develop a trauma response similar to an individual who is located physically closer to where the violence, torture, execution, and mass detention is occurring, despite the fact that there is a geographic difference.

There were three clinical processes that we will tell you about today that impact digital witnesses.

Vicarious Trauma

First is vicarious trauma. It is the cumulative effect of bearing witness to the suffering of others as a form of trauma. 

When someone spends, on average, several hours a day looking at ultra, clear pictures of police violence or social injustice, then, their amygdala (part of the brain that processes threats) is practically inside the terror state. Over time, to help the individual stay sane, the nervous system decides to give emotional anesthesia in the form of psychic numbing.

This is a normal reaction. The psyche "short, circuits" when exposed to too much digital violence and the core self gets protected after a major blow. The activist is left feeling unusual, as if they have no emotions, are detached or even that they are looking at the world through a thick window.

This feeling of emptiness is the main characteristic of vicarious trauma, which refers to the gradual wear and tear of ones "meaning, making" system due to the repetitive nature of the digital evidence collection.

Over time, individuals may notice:

• A growing sense that the world is unsafe

• Changes in beliefs about justice, trust, and humanity

• Increased hypervigilance or withdrawal (Even when you aren't looking at footage, you’re scanning your real-world environment for threats or "hidden" injustices.)

• Loss of Nuances (You begin to see the world in rigid binaries (e.g., everyone is either a predator or a victim), losing the ability to appreciate complexity or simple joy.)

Your world-view shifts; the world starts to feel inherently unsafe. This is not pessimism. It is trauma altering core assumptions.

Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue occurs when our capacity for empathy becomes compromised from the constant experience of hearing about or seeing traumatic events to the point where it can no longer recover. 

Common signs include:

• Emotional exhaustion

• Irritability

• Reduced tolerance for stress

• A sense of emotional blunting

• The "Why Bother?" Internal Monologue  (A growing sense that your documentation isn't making a difference, leading to a "functional despair.")

This does not reflect reduced care. It reflects depleted capacity (your "empathy tank" is empty).

Dorsal Vagal Shutdown (Emotional Numbness)

When the total amount of threat encountered exceeds what we can process in the brain, the nervous system can shut down as a protective mechanism.

This can present as:

• Emotional numbness

• Detachment

• Dissociation

• Cognitive fog

As clinicians, we see this as a mechanism that is in place to protect us biologically rather than a failure of morality or emotion. In order to continue to be active in supporting others through activism, we must continue to manage and regulate our nervous systems.

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Trauma-Informed Strategies for Digital Witnesses

Using the principles found in trauma-informed clinical practice, we offer here suggestions on how to consume traumatic material in a way that will reduce physiological activation of the nervous system.

1. Reducing Sensory Load Through Technical Boundaries

Small changes in how traumatic material is consumed can significantly reduce physiological activation.

Grayscale Display

One way to minimize threat activation based on colour is to switch your device to a "grayscale" setting, particularly the visual impact of blood and injury, which will cause lower amygdala reactivity and decreased autonomic arousal.

Muting Audio

The auditory system activates the nervous system more than visual systems.

Whenever possible:

• Review content without sound

• Use audio only when necessary for verification

This protects against excessive sympathetic activation.

Limiting Image Size

Do not watch violent videos in a large format. Creating more psychological distance from what you are watching by keeping footage in a smaller window will help regulate your cortex.

Turning off automatic video playback

If you turn off automatic video playback, you have an opportunity to decide whether you are ready to watch the violent content again. If you need a break, it is within your control to take it. 

2. Discharging Stored Survival Activation

Trauma does not just occur cognitively. Trauma is also stored physiologically. For example, even when you close your laptop, you may still have energy from the fight-or-flight in your body.

Movement-Based Discharge

After heavy exposure sessions:

• Stand

• Gently shake arms and legs for 60–90 seconds

This supports completion of the stress response cycle.

Cold Water Stimulation

Brief cold exposure to the face or hands activates the parasympathetic system and supports re-regulation following dissociation or shutdown.

3. Psychological Boundaries in Daily Life

Constant connectivity without defined limits dramatically increases chances of experiencing burnout or secondary traumatic experiences.

Designated as Your Content-Free Zones:  

1. Bedroom 

2. Dining Table  

3. Family Area  

Do not bring any type of traumatizing material into your designated areas for sleeping/resting, eating, or family time; these should feel safe/secure to you.

End-of-Workday Closure Ritual:  

At the end of your workday, make it a habit to:  

1. Turn Off All Technology  

2. Slowly Wash Your Hands  

3. Verbally Declare Your Transition From Work Mode to Self-Nurturing Mode 

(ie: “This work is complete for today.

I am returning to my body and to the present moment.”)

By doing so, you will reinforce your body's natural nerve impulse response to shift into relaxation mode.  

4. The Role of Relational Regulation

Trauma is mitigated through connection.

Isolation significantly amplifies distress, particularly in politically targeted communities.

Structured Peer Debriefing

Move beyond factual discussion toward impact-focused language:

• “That material exceeded my window of tolerance today.”

• “I noticed shutdown after that video.”

Normalizing nervous system language reduces shame and prevents silent deterioration.

Reframing Survivor Guilt

From a clinical perspective:

Your safety is not a betrayal.Your safety is the condition that allows sustained advocacy.

Burnout does not serve justice.Regulation preserves capacity.

A final word

At Nuran Clinic, we hold deep respect for those who carry the psychological burden of bearing witness.

To the activists: You are the eyes of history. But even eyes need to blink. Even eyes need to close so the rest of the body can rest. Taking a break is not a sign of weakness; it is a tactical necessity for a long-term struggle.

Your work matters.

Your nervous system also matters.

If you are experiencing persistent numbness, intrusive images, sleep disturbance, dissociation, or functional impairment, we provide trauma-informed psychotherapy for individuals exposed to political violence, displacement, and vicarious trauma.

You are not alone.