Prof. Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan is a psychologist who specialises in psychiatry, psychotherapy, clinical psychology and psychotherapy, migration research and socialisation-war research.
Professor Kizilhan, himself a Yazidi helped resettle 1,100 of these women to Germany for intensive psychological treatments.
In 2015 with the assistance of the German government 1,500 Yazidis were granted special permission to enter Germany to be treated for trauma as a result of being captured by IS.
"We thought it is impossible to bring millions of people to Germany to be treated. As a result we decided to train university students in the field of psychology."
"In 2017 with the assistance of the German Foreign Affairs department an Institute of Psychotherapy & Psycho trauma-therapy was opened in the University of Duhok."
There still are 300,000 Yazidis in Duhok and its surrounding areas, including refugee camps. Medical assistance is limited plus there is a shortage for Kurdish doctors.
"The situation is poor, they feel hopeless and helpless especially the mothers who have had children from IS as a result of being sex slaves and rape. The future is unknown and not clear."
After the defeat if IS hundreds of Yazidi girls and women have escaped. Some are still in Syria and some have arrived in Iraq.
A petition is being signed to try and help these women home. Assistance from the international community is needed said Professor Kizilhan.
