According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the exact number of missing persons in Iraq is difficult to estimate, however, even low estimates are in the hundreds of thousands. Unfortunately, the process of looking for a family member or loved one can be both complicated and dangerous given the current violence and insecurity in Iraq. The ICRC reports that it can be life-threatening to even ask about a relative's whereabouts, dangerous to make the trip to recover a body if located, and psychologically tormenting to continue to live in doubt and anguish. (3) Physical risks aside, there is also no centralized place to find out information on missing persons. In addition to the above consequences, the family of the missing person may face severe socioeconomic hardship if the person who is missing was the primary, or sole, income-earner.
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