Torture Survivor Program
The concept for the Torture Survivor Program emerged from what we have seen as a very strong need for services for survivors of torture. Many of our clients are survivors of torture and many of them suffer silently while the symptoms of their past traumas emerge in various ways – often in unsettling ways that disrupt their lives.
Two part program:
• Supporting the Psychological and Medical Needs of Torture Survivors
It is often difficult for an asylum seeker to successfully navigate the asylum process and system with a favorable decision on their asylum case if they are not in treatment for their past trauma. Credibility is everything in asylum decisions and it can be quite difficult for an asylum seeker to retell their story in a convincing and consistent manner if they have to relive their trauma every time they retell their story.
• Supporting the Legal Aspects of the Asylum Case
The other part of the program relates to our needs as legal representatives working on asylum cases. When we build a strong asylum case, we need to document and verify the trauma suffered through torture by securing a thorough psychological and possibly a medical evaluation. Here in Vermont (and even in Boston), there are very few health professionals who have experience in conducting a good, effective psychological or medical evaluation. One component of the program will be to identify and provide trainings for health professionals to do evaluations to support asylum claims.
