Supporting Survivors of Torture
National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs (NCTTP) is a U.S. based network of programs which exists to advance the knowledge, technical capacities and resources devoted to the care of torture survivors living in the United States and acts collectively to prevent torture worldwide. Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience (PPR) is currently a partner member of NCTTP and sent three staff to the full-day symposium on February 29th which featured 12 presentations from speakers working in clinical, legal, and research capacities across the United States. Some of the topics included – Survivor Social Networks: Supports and Challenges of Family and Community, Bringing in the Body: Integration Physiotherapy and Mental Health counseling in Nairobi and Rates of PTSD, Anxiety and Depression in a Clinical Sample of Refugees and Survivors of Torture: Implications for Chronic Traumatic Stress Treatment (CTS-T) with Technology.
In addition, NCTTP met with Senators and Representatives on Tuesday, March 1st at Capitol Hill to support funding for torture survivor rehabilitation programs. PPR at Nationalities Service Center has signed on to this advocacy letter and we’re pleased to report that NCTTP members visited 60 Congressional offices (21 Senate, 39 House) in 14 states. Torture is a deliberate and systematic dismantling of a person’s identity and humanity through physical or psychological pain and suffering. Many survivors report being subjected to severe beatings, rape, deprivation, humiliation, forced postures, burning, and witnessing the torture of family members. I urge you to stand with us in supporting the rehabilitation of torture survivors and their families through ongoing advocacy efforts. You can send Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D) a message of support of funding for survivor rehabilitation here: https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact.
