Armed gang violence in Haiti: a public mental health plan to navigate the horror and overcoming trauma

Since 2018, Haiti has faced a severe security crisis, worsened by President Jovenel Moïse’s 2021 assassination. In 2024, gang violence killed over 5600 people—1000 more than in 2023—while thousands were wounded, and 1494 kidnappings were recorded.1 Armed gangs now control more than 85% of Port-au-Prince, isolating the city and intensifying a humanitarian crisis with widespread food insecurity.2