After dehumanisation: Identity trauma in hostage captivity and implications for post-captivity care

Hostage-taking remains a persistent tactic in armed conflict and political violence, despite its unequivocal condemnation under international law. A recent and striking illustration is the mass abduction of around 250 individuals from Israel to Gaza on October 7, 2023. Captivity exposes individuals to prolonged regimes of control, coercion, abuse, and deprivation, rendering it one of the most extreme forms of trauma. This discussion article argues that, beyond threats to physical safety and freedom, captivity is structured to target captives’ identity. We contend that the erosion of subjectivity, autonomy, and personhood constitutes a central mechanism of harm, shaping both the lived experience of captivity and post-release processes. To advance this argument, we conceptualise identity trauma through two interrelated mechanisms: stripping, referring to the removal of core identity markers, agency, humanity, and a sense of existence; and dismantling, capturing the cumulative fragmentation of the self through sustained maltreatment. Understanding these processes is critical for informing post-captivity care. Rebuilding after captivity is a relational and ecological endeavour, requiring coordinated and reliable engagement by multiple actors and systems. While survivors often demonstrate remarkable resilience, effective care must resist prescriptive narratives of reintegration and remain responsive to individual trajectories.