How does an individual heal after torture? Wounds may heal and scars may form, but what about the psychological impacts? When someone survives torture, the most basic trust in human beings is damaged or destroyed. Torture is intentional. It is meant to be cruel and painful. It is intended to teach a lesson and to silence the victim and the community. To recover takes great care and great courage. Healing after torture is a life-saving process.

The Center for Victims of Torture exists to support survivors in this complex journey to healing. We extend interdisciplinary care to thousands of survivors of torture and conflict-related trauma every year. In our programs around the world, we hear unique stories of pain, fear and loss, but also of great strength, courage and determination. We have been providing this care for 40 years, and we’ve expanded our work to bring trauma-informed approaches into a range of training and consulting work to build resilience, skills and capacity for humanitarian workers and human rights defenders around the world.

Before, I stayed by myself. I had given up on myself. I felt I was totally worthless.”

-Former client, CVT Uganda

As well as learning about the deep impacts of torture, we have paid attention over the years to the themes that run through our clients’ experiences. These emerge from the thousands of conversations we have with clients. For example, many survivors describe how they retreat after torture, isolating themselves and not wanting to be around other people. A client in Gulu, Uganda, who had been tortured during the war against the Lord’s Resistance Army, said, “Before, I stayed by myself. I had given up on myself. I felt I was totally worthless.”

For many survivors, life feels hopeless, like there is no way to move out of that darkness, away from those painful feelings. Clients often tell us later that they came to one of our clinics when they were contemplating suicide. Ayaa from Gulu, Uganda, said, “I thought there is no need for me. I’m worthless. I should not continue living.”

I thought there is no need for me. I’m worthless. I should not continue living.”

-Ayaa, former client, CVT Uganda

Mosaab, who found care at CVT’s Jordan program after escaping his home in Sudan, said, “Before working with CVT, I was absolutely devastated . . . I lived alone, had no appetite and did a lot of physical labor for my job without taking care of myself. I was a walking dead man.”

Today, there are more than 120 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes as a result of torture, persecution and conflict. This is the highest number since World War II. These numbers suggest the sheer amount of trauma that exists within these refugee populations. And according to UNICEF, in 2023, 40 percent of refugees were children.

 Internationally, CVT has several programs specially designed for children, with mental health and physiotherapy interventions adapted for younger children, preadolescents and teenagers. Working with the children on ways to understand their emotions and build coping strategies is very effective in reducing their symptoms after surviving torture or deeply traumatizing experiences.

The considerations for children who’ve survived deep trauma are very serious; suicide is not beyond their thinking. In 2015, one of the refugee camps where CVT Ethiopia worked had a spate of suicide attempts by children. Two died and another 16 children attempted to take their own lives. CVT responded with emergency counseling to hundreds of children as well as providing training on suicide interventions for 300 social workers in the camp. CVT continued counseling with 1,700 children in that camp.

Our clinical teams also work with the parents or caregivers to help them understand what their children are going through. The parents often tell CVT what it means to have clinicians supporting their children, educating them, showing care for them. Marina, who came to our Jordan program for counseling, brought her two children as well. Since fleeing their home in Syria and living as refugees in Amman, her little boy and girl, ages 10 and 12, had become very insular. They were very negative and had no interest in making friends. But they went to the sessions at CVT and she began to see changes: the children became more comfortable and confident again. Marina said, “The counselors told my children: You are a human being, you have to live. You have a future.”

The counselors told my children: You are a human being, you have to live. You have a future.”

-Marina, former client, CVT Jordan

Amina fled Sudan and ended up in Jordan. She struggled with life as a refugee, separated from her husband and moving from house to house. She attempted suicide. But she survived and found CVT Jordan. She came for counseling and learned how to cope with her trauma. She said, “CVT is a part of my motivation for wanting to live. They gave me my self-confidence back.”

Yonas, a young man, fled his home and family in Eritrea after being detained and tortured for months. It took more than one attempt, but finally he made his way across the border to a refugee camp in Ethiopia. He was covered in scars from his torture. Once he was safely away from the Eritrean security forces, the weight of all he’d been through become overwhelming. He said he was struggling and finding it to be too much to bear. Yonas said he was planning to end his life.

But luckily, he found healing at CVT Ethiopia in the camp. He came for care and began to regain hope. Yonas said, “CVT has given me life –they showed me I have dignity, that I can still live.”

CVT has given me life –they showed me I have dignity, that I can still live.”

-Yonas, former client, CVT Ethiopia

There are enormous, global consequences to the levels of displacement seen today. The more communities that experience persecution, atrocities and violent conflict, the greater the damage of widespread and untreated trauma. We know from our 40 years providing care to people who have fled these situations that collective inter-generational trauma breeds fear and insecurity. People need healing. People need hope.

In the past decade, CVT has expanded our programming to accommodate the numbers of people who need care as well as working closely with partner organizations to share our highly specialized care models. By increasing skills beyond our own clinics, more survivors can benefit. And the more people who receive effective mental health and psychosocial support, the more families and communities regain stability and can begin to rebuild.

Briefly let me say: Don’t leave us.”

-Claude, former client, CVT Kenya

Mental health and psychosocial support has never been more in demand. For those who have survived torture and fled from persecution, conflict and dictatorship, these humanitarian services can be the difference between life and death. As Claude, a survivor from Burundi who was seen at CVT Kenya, said, “Briefly let me say: Don’t leave us.”

Client names have been changed for security and confidentiality purposes.

What You Can Do

Contact your U.S. members of Congress and ask them to support CVT, and to continue State Department and USAID funding for life-saving mental health and psychosocial support programs. Click here for a phone number and message to share.

Donate to CVT’s Emergency Campaign.

Spread the word – share CVT’s social media posts.