Center for Victims of Torture: Estimates of Numbers of Torture Survivors Higher than Previously Estimated
Center for Victims of Torture has issued a call for additional funding to support the work of torture survivor rehabilitation programs.
More than 20 years ago, Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) estimated the number of survivors of torture resettled here in the U.S. to be 400,000 – 500,000, documenting a prevalence range of 5 – 35% among refugees in a number of western nations. However, it has just been announced by CVT an estimate as high as 1.3 million, nearly three times the previous estimate, not accounting for the number of torture survivors who have been granted protection through the U.S. asylum system. Craig Higson-Smith, CVT’s director of research states that “A meta-analysis of the studies that have been done leads us to estimate a refugee torture prevalence rate as high as 44 percent – significantly higher than previous estimates.”
NSC's Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience (PPR) program works with refugee, asylee, and asylum-seeking individuals and families that have experienced torture in their home countries. The definition of torture is a strong predictor of severe mental or physical pain or suffering, having lasting consequences for over 160 clients that we serve through our program annually.
CVT has issued a call for additional funding to support the work of torture survivor rehabilitation programs. For service providers that work with refugee populations, it is crucial to recognize the importance of identifying and screening for survivors of torture and connect them to appropriate services in the area. Learn more information on CVT's methodology, findings and conclusions here: http://www.cvt.org/news-events/press-releases/us-home-far-more-refugee-torture-survivors-previously-believed
