Since 2015 MSF has been offering comprehensive care – medical and psychological services – to victims of violence and sexual violence in Buenaventura.

Buenaventura is situated on the Colombian Pacific coast. It has gained notoriety as a city with the highest crime rates in the country, where a large part of the population is exposed daily to acts of violence including killings, shootings, extortion, kidnappings and sexual abuse.

Despite the psychological trauma the daily violence inflicts on Buenaventura´s inhabitants, access to mental health treatment is still extremely limited. Many victims are too afraid to seek help from existing services.

To address this gap, MSF opened a new psychological helpline in August 2015, offering phone counselling to victims of violence and sexual violence.
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Victims of violence in Buenaventura