We believe that dangerous circumstances during flight and migration very often have a traumatising effect and can lead to illnesses stemming from post-traumatic stress. These illnesses are chronically distressful for the individual, but also have serious political and social consequences for entire societies if they are not adequately dealt with. In the past decades, scientific trauma research in the West has been able to close a gap in our understanding of the consequences of war, violence and uprooting. This knowledge is an indispensable asset in combating the causes of flight and terrorism. It should also have a practical impact on how we deal with flight and migration.