At The Side Of Torture Survivors

"An outstanding collection that brings an extraordinary international perspective to the growing literature on the treatment of the survivors of torture." -- New England Journal of Medicine

This book demonstrates a new, interdisciplinary approach to life writing about torture that situates torture firmly within its socio-political context, as opposed to extending the long line of representations written in the idiom of the proverbial dark chamber. By dismantling the rhetorical divide that typically separates survivors’ suffering from human rights workers’ expertise, contributors engage with the personal, professional, and institutional dimensions of torture and redress. Essays in this volume consider torture from diverse locations – the Philippines, Argentina, Sudan, and Guantánamo, among others. From across the globe, contributors witness both individual pain and institutional complicity; the challenges of building communities of healing across linguistic and national divides; and the role of the law, art, writing, and teaching in representing and responding to torture.

Since its beginnings in the 1970s, the field of torture rehabilitation has grown rapidly. A growing awareness about the practice of torture (more than 100 countries today practice government-sanctioned torture) and its effects on victims is leading to an increasing number of dedicated treatment centers. The health care professionals on the staffs of these centers need the best, most up-to-date information and advice they can get. This book delivers it. Caring for Victims of Torture contains all the collective wisdom of some of the most respected international experts in the treatment of victims of government torture--all distinguished physicians--including pioneers in the field of traumatic stress. Contributors discuss the most recent advances in knowledge about government-sanctioned torture and offer practical approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of torture victims. Organized into six main sections, this annotated volume provides an overview of the history and politics of torture and rehabilitation; guidance in identifying and defining the sequelae of torture; a framework for assessment and treatment; specific treatment interventions; and a discussion of ethical implications. In the final section, physicians working in the field offer firsthand accounts and address how they are trying to balance politics with caregiving. Focusing on the physician's role, this book is chiefly a clinical guide. But for advanced-level students, it serves as a thorough, up-to-date text and reference work. Religious leaders, lawyers, politicians, human rights advocates, and torture victims themselves will find it a valuable resource as well.

The Statement of Madrid

A classic publication in this field which serves as a scholarly yet very practical resource.

For over two decades, Amnesty International has been at the forefront of the international campaign against torture. For the first time, Amnesty International has commissioned the foremost experts in the field to write about the history of torture, the methods used, the torturers themselves, and their victims. "A Glimpse of Hell" is the result. Throughout recorded history, humans have deliberately subjected others to physical pain and mental anguish, sometimes in spite of laws prohibiting such behavior, sometimes with the full backing of the legal system. Early chapters offer a historical overview of torture and its popular and legal meanings, and examine its relationship with the law. Other contributions address specific methods used by torturers, their effects, and approaches for treating torture survivors. The terror of torture is not confined to the individual victim. Several essays discuss its consequences for other citizens, specifically for women, children, and the family. They also provide resources for documenting and combatting torture when it happens. The volume concludes with a political strategy concerning what can be done to put a stop to torture worldwide. Published to coincide with Amnesty International's most ambitious campaign against torture for over a decade, "A Glimpse of Hell" serves as a broad and authoritative source of information on torture throughout the world, all in one accessible and chilling volume.