Issue 3/4 Vol. 34 1992

SOS telephone as an anticrisis service in war conditions in Osijek

STUMFOL, B.

SOS telephone was established on October 25, 1991 and its working hours were from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. It was presented to citizens as a line for psychological help. By the middle of May 1992 about 2,000 calls had been received. The principal reasons for these calls were: 1. fearful experiences (40.81%), 2. problems connected with children (11.22%), 3. problems connected with older people (8.24%), 4. loneliness - need for conversation (8.14), 5. marriage problems (5.16%). Depending on the intensity of crisis in Osijek, there were several phases distinctly characterized by the number of calls and the content of conversation. When political and security situation in the town was the most difficult, the number of calls was the largest. During the period of the most intensive crisis, after the destruction and fall of Vukovar, when panic spread like wildfire, the calls were particularly numerous. People were asking for concrete advice on how to protect themselves and overcome fear because of continuous bombardment, or how to evacuate children and weak persons. After a short period of cease-fire (January 3, 1992), when tension slackened, calls became less frequent, but conversations were longer. The feelings of anxiety, tiredness or anger and bitterness were dominant because the attacks on the city did not stop. SOS telephone provided psychological support for citizens of Osijek during the most difficult war crisis and still serves its purpose because more problems are still ahead.

Keywords: psychology in war, war, traumatic experiences

Short Title: Stumfol, B. (1992) PsyBeit 3-4:366

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