Victims Of Torture Research Articles

Transitional Justice Process: A Study of the Truth and Dignity Commission in Tunisia

Transitional justice is an attempt to rise and advance from periods of state-led abuses towards instituting the supremacy of law. Tunisia has a marked history of gross human rights violations. To investigate and proffer solutions to these violations, the country’s Transitional Justice Law, which gave birth to the momentous Truth and Dignity Commission (IVD), was passed in. The Commission was an exceptional transitional justice inaugurated to investigate and expose the truth about gross human rights violations committed from 1955 to 2013. With a focus on the victims of torture, this research examines the extent of the implementation of the TARR model of transitional justice by the Commission. Results revealed that the Commission has succeeded to a considerable extent in revealing the truth about the violations victims of torture have endured. The study, therefore, recommends the demonstration of a stronger political will by the upcoming government for ultimate success.

DNA methylation in blood cells is associated with cortisol levels in offspring of mothers who had prenatal post-traumatic stress disorder.

Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with differential DNA methylation in offspring and disrupted cortisol secretion. This study aimed to determine methylation signatures of cortisol levels in children, and whether associations differ based on maternal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Blood epigenome-wide methylation and fasting cortisol levels were measured in 118 offspring of mothers recruited from the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims. Mothers underwent clinically administered assessment for PTSD using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Correlations between offspring methylation and cortisol levels were examined using epigenome-wide analysis, adjusting for covariates. Subsequent analysis focussed on a priori selected genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress signalling. Methylation at four sites were correlated with cortisol levels (cg15321696, r=-0.33, cg18105800, r=+0.33, cg00986889, r=-0.25, and cg15920527, r=-0.27). In adjusted multivariable regression, when stratifying based on prenatal PTSD status, significant associations were only found for children born to mothers with prenatal PTSD (p<0.001). Several sites within HPA axis genes were also associated with cortisol levels in the maternal PTSD group specifically. There is evidence that methylation is associated with cortisol levels, particularly in offspring born to mothers with prenatal PTSD. However, larger studies need to be carried out to independently validate these findings.

Domestic Violence Against Women Rising During Covid-19 Pandemic : A Sociological Study

Violence against women within the family is a global phenomenon. No society can claim to be freeof such violence. The degree of violence differs according to the socio economic condition of the society.Women in Indian society are victims of ill-usage, humiliation, torture and exploitation for as long aswritten records of structure and family life are accessible. These records are replete with incidentsof abduction, rape, murder and torture of girls. Women themselves tolerated all this in the name oftheir spiritual values and socio-cultural attitudes, because the cases of wife-battering, rapes, kidnappingsand abductions, intra-familial murders, dowry-deaths, eve-teasing and molestation, etc., were reported.

Rethinking human rights protection: lessons from survivors of torture and beyond?

How can human rights mechanisms better protect victims of torture? The article serves as an introduction to a special issue on torture and human rights protection. It argues that human rights protection is often thought about in a way that is both too narrow and too broad to provide effective responses to the needs of survivors of torture, their families and communities. The article proposes an approach that looks at protection from the perspective of the security of survivors rather than formal norms and mechanisms. Such a perspective cannot act as a magic bullet for human rights work, but it does create space for reflection on the problems and challenges of protection from violence, and for identifying what does work, for whom, and in what ways.

Exposed and alone: torture survivors in Sri Lanka bear the burden of their own protection

Within a history and context of torture practised by state agents in Sri Lanka, this article discusses in relation to victims of torture who engaged with complaint mechanisms, the threats faced, the responses received from complaint mechanisms, and what victims and their families actually did to secure protection. The article is an analysis of the threats of fabricated criminal charges, personal and social humiliation, and physical threat and intimidation in retaliation to lodging of complaints against perpetrators and the strategies of aggression and mobilising social connections that are utilised.

МЕХАНІЗМИ ДОСЯГНЕННЯ СПРАВЕДЛИВОСТІ У ВОЄННИЙ ТА ПІСЛЯВОЄННИЙ ЧАС: МІЖНАРОДНИЙ ДОСВІД І ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ДЛЯ УКРАЇНИ

The paper addresses the content and legal nature of mechanisms for the administration of justice for war crimes, as well as crimes against humanity. The comparative method was extensively applied in the article. The paper uncovers the importance of the legal profession as one that needs to prove that justice is not something abstract, but rather an achievable thing; this contributes to the work's relevancy. The article also provides the lay persons, who are directly or indirectly influenced by military aggression with the simplified manner of the issue under investigation and attempts to assure that the administration of justice after the war is due to be performed. The article offers an overview of the existing legal acts of various countries worldwide applied to prosecute war crimes, as well as to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity. A considerable notice is given to the ways of administering justice to foreign plaintiffs, foreign defendants, in cases when the crime committed and its prosecution are not within the jurisdiction of the state where the latter took place. The paper highlights the measures to be taken to prevent criminals from committing crimes on the territories, referring to state states with constant violation of fundamental human rights. Specific attention is awarded to the mechanism of filing the collective lawsuits as an effective tool for bringing the perpetrators to justice which is supported by the examples. Keywords: genocide, crimes against humanity, class action, Alien Tort Claims Act, Torture Victim Protection Act, war criminals.

The torture victim and the dentist: The social and material dynamics of trauma re-experiencing triggered by dental visits

Introduction: The flow of refugees towards Europe over the past decade has placed increased demands on the health care services. A significant proportion of refugees have been subjected to torture involving their mouth or teeth, still the importance of oral health challenges is often overlooked or underestimated in the rehabilitation of torture victims. In this qualitative study, we set out to explore the processes that complicate torture victims’ ability to engage in and tolerate dental procedures.&#x0D; Methods: Ten resettled refugees with experience of torture were recruited among patients affiliated with specialized clinics for oral health rehabilitation in Norway. Data were collected through semi-structured exploratory interviews, and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach.&#x0D; Results and discussion: We present an exploration of what we have called the social and material anatomy of the triggering event; the process through which trauma-related reactions are produced in torture victims in the course of undergoing dental treatment. All professionals who work with torture survivors should be aware that these individuals often suffer from oral health problems that may affect both their physical and their psychological quality of life. However, although dental treatment is essential, it may still represent a major challenge. Our data suggest, we propose, that dental treatment often involves an experience being suspended, albeit temporarily, in an objectified position, acted on by subjects capable of producing deeply undesirable mental, emotional or bodily states. Three main categories emerged as the most prominent factors with such an agentic capacity: 1) pain, 2) traumatic memories and 3) the dentist. Submitting to dental treatment hence requires the patient’s willingness to give in to the actions of these factors, and avoiding treatment may therefore, in this situation, represent a means of retaining control.

Qualitative exploration of dental and health care personnel’s awareness of signs displayed in victims of torture with focus on the oral cavity

Abstract&#x0D; Introduction Numerous torture victims have experienced severe physical or phycological trauma to their face, mouth, and teeth. A dental visit carries a risk for torture survivors to relive the trauma, since the situation may trigger a recollection of previous suffering. Although health care personnel at resource center for torture victims are equipped with various tools to help and assist these individuals in their rehabilitation, very few centers have protocols in place to refer out victims to dental professionals with experience and knowledge in the area. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of dental and health care personnel’s knowledge and awareness to detect various torture signs with focus on the oral cavity. &#x0D; Material and Methods Dental (n=16) and health care (n=6) personnel conducted individual interviews, group interviews, and qualitative data from a questionnaire. All interviews were transcribed, and a phenomenological-hermeneutical method was used to analyze the participants' answers.&#x0D; Results Six health care and 16 dental personnel answered the questionnaire, and 5 health care and 16 dental personnel participated in the interviews. Dental personnel demonstrated a lack of knowledge and experiences regarding signs of torture with focus on the oral cavity, nor a multidisciplinary collaboration on torture victims. Most of the health care personnel had clear suggestions for external signs of torture and showed good knowledge of how to refer a torture victim to dental personnel.&#x0D; Discussion Through a multidisciplinary approach, potential harmful long-term effects resulting from dental care visits can be prevented and the approach can additionally contribute to better resource utilization in health care. There is a need for increased awareness and knowledge of injuries and signs resulting from torture in the oral cavity among dental and health care personnel.

ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD: Implications for the rehabilitation of survivors of torture seeking international protection

Introduction: Rates of torture are especially high among those seeking asylum, with global estimates of forced migrants having experienced torture exceeding 50%. Torture is the strongest predictor of PTSD amongst refugee populations. This study assesses the construct validity and diagnostic rate of the ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD (CPTSD) within a population of torture survivors seeking asylum in Ireland. It further explores whether this population were more likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for CPTSD than PTSD, and whether any sex differences existed in probable rates of PTSD and CPTSD. Methods: A secondary data analysis of 264 treatment-seeking asylum seekers and refugees who experienced torture or ill-treatment was conducted. Rates of PTSD and CPTSD were assessed using the International Trauma Questionnaire. Findings: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a a six-factor correlated model consisting of re-experiencing (Re), avoidance (Av), threat (Th), affective dysregulation (AD), negative self-concept (NSC), and disturbed relationships (DR), consistent with ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD. High rates of PTSD (32.4%) and CPTSD (39.6%) were found, with the experience of torture significantly associated to the development of PTSD. No significant difference was found between the sexes. Discussion: This is the first study to investigate the validity of ICD 11 PTSD and CPTSD among torture survivors actively seeking international protection in Europe. Given the high rates of PTSD and CPTSD found among torture survivors, rehabilitation centres for victims of torture should consider CPTSD as part of their assessment and treatment programmes.

International Humanitarian Award: Bhava Nath Poudyal.

The American Psychology Association's Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP) is pleased to present the 2021 International Humanitarian Award to Mr. Bhava Nath Poudyal. Over a 25-year-long career, Poudyal has worked with several leading humanitarian institutions and published numerous scholarly articles in the advancement of assessing, designing, delivering, and evaluating mental health and psychological services, particularly in lower- and middle-income areas. His work has focused on contexts within Asia, Central Asia, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Poudyal has brought his expertise to bear on responding to the needs of torture victims in his home country of Nepal, as well as Guinea and Sierra Leone. He has also worked with the International Red Cross in the areas of missing persons, natural disasters, and violent conflicts. He has trained and mentored over a thousand lay counselors and more than 300 psychologists around the world, simplifying complex psychological principles, therapies, and treatments to provide support for people experiencing significant trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Case study: Lesions due to forced ritual scarification in Cameroon - A warning from cultural anthropology to forensic medicine.

Asylum seekers and refugees are constantly increasing worldwide because of human rights' violations and political-related abuses. As a result, some of them show scars due to torture and other forms of maltreatments. In addition, they may also present scars due to ethnical practices, namely ritual scarifications. This case study presents a victim who did not give consent to perform such ethnical practices on her body. The authors aim to enlighten the difficulty to understand the origin and the purpose of these specific injuries and the importance to know how to distinguish them from other forms of abuse. Indeed, it appears that such lesions follow a cultural path, meaning that the lesions are performed methodically and may show macroscopic differences compared to others. The story narrated by the victim can be helpful for the experts' assessment, regardless, they may present memory-loss issues. This represents the value of a correct injuries' diagnosis and the importance of cultural anthropology-related analyses. The cultural and social background are relevant since the injuries have their own signification because of their symbolism. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach with a cultural anthropologist may have the possibility to help the forensic experts in understanding and interpreting such stories fostering their ability to better assess asylum seekers stories and their reliability.

Confounded Dwelling: Architectures of Association in W. G. Sebald’sAusterlitz

Confounded Dwelling: Architectures of Association in W. G. Sebald’s<i>Austerlitz</i>

Efficacy of pharmacotherapy for psychiatric sequelae of torture

Introduction: The large numbers of torture survivors suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological trauma in the United States suggests pharmacists should be aware of, and attentive to possible drug therapies for this population.&#x0D; Method: To this end, we systematically review the literature on pharmacotherapy for survivors of torture. Published literature that assessed use of pharmacotherapy in torture victims were searched from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PsychInfo and CINAHL. Search terms “torture,” “pharmacotherapy,” “depression OR PTSD,” “refugee OR asylum seekers” and “treatment or rehabilitation” were utilized.&#x0D; Results: Review of controlled and uncontrolled studies reveal that antidepressants are the most widely studied medications, particularly sertraline, a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in the torture survivor population expanding to refugees and asylum seekers. Anti-adrenergic medications were used as adjunctive treatment in some uncontrolled studies. In randomized controlled trials, pharmacotherapy did not differentiate from placebo in reducing symptoms. Uncontrolled trials had yielded variable outcomes from pharmacotherapy.&#x0D; Discussion: There is lack of strong evidence in supporting the use of pharmacotherapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. Heterogeneity in the study design, patient ethnicity and the social and political status at the time of the study may have contributed in the variable clinical responses to pharmacotherapy.

Screening asylum seekers in Denmark for torture using a structured questionnaire

The United Nations Committee against Torture recommends systematic torture screening throughout the asylum process. The goal of this study is to evaluate the introduction of a structured questionnaire, coding for torture according to the definition from United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT). This screening for torture is now an integrated part of the medical reception of newly arrived asylum seekers&#x0D; The screening was carried through during a 2 years period as a part of the routine health screening, and alleged torture victims were referred to further medical examination and offered assistance to carry information about the torture to the Immigration Service. The participation rate was 85.2%, and torture was reported among 27.8% of the males, with a mean of 21.2% among both sexes.&#x0D; Key words: Torture, screening, questionnaire, asylum seekers, UNCAT

More Than Three Meals per Day

More Than Three Meals per Day

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study using Mind–Body Interventions among Refugees in Sweden

Background: Migration is one of the major challenges of the 21st century with many refugees being victims of torture and experiencing war and the collapse of their society. Sweden, for example, received about 169,520 refugees during 2015 and 20–30% of them were estimated to suffer from mental illness. Nevertheless, research shows that about 66.40% of refugees never reveal their traumatic experiences to a doctor and a majority refuse psychiatric help. Hence, we need innovative methods to promote the physical, mental, and social health of refugees.&#x0D; Objective: We examined the effects of Anthropedia’s Well-Being Coaching (i.e., a biopsychosocial approach to coaching) and Well-Being Spa (i.e., modern version of age-old Spa interventions) on the personality and health of a sample of refugees living in Sweden.&#x0D; Methodology: Participants were recruited as part of a health and employment project in Blekinge, Sweden. A total of 70 Syrian refugees were randomly assigned to a six-month intervention comprising either Well-Being Coaching, or Well-Being Spa, or both (i.e., Mind–Body). The participants reported personality (temperament and character), well-being (positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and harmony in life), and ill-being (defeat and entrapment, and anxiety and depression) at the beginning and at the end of the six-month intervention period.&#x0D; Results: Participants assigned to the Well-Being Coaching intervention showed increases in self-directedness (Cohen’s d = 0.84), cooperativeness (Cohen’s d = 0.36), positive affect (Cohen’s d = 0.43), and life satisfaction (Cohen’s d = 0.56), and decreases in both negative affect (Cohen’s d = 0.38) and defeat (Cohen’s d = 0.89). Participants assigned to the Well-Being Spa intervention showed decreases in harm avoidance (Cohen’s d = 0.55), reward dependence (Cohen’s d = 0.69), negative affect (Cohen’s d = 0.82), anxiety (Cohen’s d = 0.53), defeat (Cohen’s d = 0.34), and external entrapment (Cohen’s d = 0.42). Participants assigned to the Mind–Body intervention showed significant decreases in harm avoidance (Cohen’s d = 0.47), anxiety (Cohen’s d = 0.61), depression (Cohen’s d = 0.34), defeat (Cohen’s d = 0.56), external entrapment (Cohen’s d = 0.44), and internal entrapment (Cohen’s d = 0.79) and increases in persistence (Cohen’s d = 0.27), self-directedness (Cohen’s d = 0.28), cooperativeness (Cohen’s d = 0.43), self-transcendence (Cohen’s d = 0.51), positive affect (Cohen’s d = 0.42), and harmony in life (Cohen’s d = 0.36).&#x0D; Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that Well-Being Coaching strengthens refugees’ character, while the Well-Being Spa treatments reduced participants’ tendency to worry and anxiety. Finally, the combination of these two interventions seems to promote the development of health-related traits, reduce ill-health, and stress, and increase well-being in a wider biopsychosocial perspective.

Parental Posttraumatic Stress and School Performance in Refugee Children.

Refugee children in the Nordic countries have been reported to perform poorly in school and carry a high burden of familial posttraumatic stress. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of maternal and paternal posttraumatic stress on the school performance of refugee children. We used national register data on school grades at age 15-16 along with demographic and migration indicators during 2011-2017 in a population of 18,831 children in refugee families in Stockholm County, Sweden. Parental posttraumatic stress was identified in regional data from three levels of care, including a tertiary treatment center for victims of torture and war. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were fitted to analyze (a) mean grade point averages as Z scores and (b) eligibility for upper secondary school. In fully adjusted models, children exposed to paternal posttraumatic stress had a lower mean grade point average, SD = -0.14, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.07], and higher odds of not being eligible for upper secondary education, OR = 1.37, 95% CI [1.14, 1.65]. Maternal posttraumatic stress had a similar crude effect on school performance, SD = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.07], OR = 1.25, 95% CI [1.00, 1.55], which was attenuated after adjusting for single-parent households and the use of child psychiatric services. The effects were similar for boys and girls as well as for different levels of care. Parental posttraumatic stress had a small negative effect on school performance in refugee children, adding to the intergenerational consequences of psychological trauma.

How Torture Fails: Evidence of Misinformation from Torture-Induced Confessions in Iraq

Abstract This article examines the testimony of fifty-seven torture victims in Saddam Hussein's Iraq to illustrate the processes by which torture fails to gain true confessions or accurate information. Theoretical analyses have identified several ways in which torture is likely to fail, but this is the first study to examine empirically how this occurs. In the study sample, victims stated that torture frequently led to inaccurate results, with respondents who were guilty of anti-regime activity refusing to confess or give information, innocent victims giving false information and confessions, and guilty victims giving accurate information followed by inaccurate information when the torture continued. The majority of victims stated that they resisted torture and did not confess or give any information. They did so because they knew that the regime relied on confessions to get criminal convictions and because they knew that confessing or providing information would only lead to more torture.

A gardening project with victims of torture

‘Nature provides a metaphor to help integrate all aspects of life. The psyche is reflected in nature; you see greatness and smallness, harmony and destruction. When we understand nature we bring about self-realisation and change our attitude towards our past.’ (Grut, 2003).

The role of international criminal justice in protecting victims of torture

The international criminal judiciary exercises its jurisdiction over the most serious international crimes, including the crime of torture, which is considered one of the gross violations of human rights. In addition to the Permanent International Criminal Court, which played a prominent role in expanding the acts that constitute the crime of torture and stipulating the punishment of its perpetrators and the compensation of its victims.