To study psychological trauma means bearing witness to horrible events…when the traumatic events are of human design, those who bear witness are caught in the conflict between victim and perpetrator. It is morally impossible to remain neutral in this conflict. The bystander is forced to take sides.
It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to see, hear and speak no evil. The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of pain. The victim demands action, engagement, and remembering.
—Dr. Judith Lewis Herman1
Eyewitness network*
Playful moments with chimpanzee friends.
Photo: © Nancy Megna
How can I leave when my friends can’t?
—Nancy Megna, commenting on why she didn’t leave her laboratory job despite the personal and emotional pain that it caused her. Her chimpanzee friends were paramount.
Eyewitness stories
Jen
Nancy
Rachel
Name Withheld
Do you have an eyewitness account to tell? Your story goes here… Contact Us
Talk to Nancy
If you are a primate lab worker with concerns about those in your care or if you are frustrated in your attempts to help them, contact me—Nancy Megna.
I worked as a primate caregiver in two different labs.
Contact me to share your experiences to see if we can help you help your chimpanzee friends.
Or if you are a former lab worker who remembers, I’d like to hear from you as well.
Information you share with me will be used only with your consent and anonymously if preferred.
I look forward to hearing from caregivers who, like me, really want to make a difference.
Sincerely,
Nancy Megna
Program Specialist
Project R&R