A young man walks down a quiet street in a European city and pauses to look at the merchandise on display in a shop window. Suddenly your hands are shaking. Your knees are shaking. He squeezes his neck like he's about to drown. In the window he has just seen the reflection of two uniformed police officers. The young man didn't break any laws and there is no reason to be afraid. However, the mere sight of uniformed men takes him back to a place thousands of miles away and to a time when he was tortured.
It could be the story of one among millions of men, women, and even children. It could be the story of someone you know. The cruel abuse victim can be a refugee or an immigrant who has settled in your neighborhood. Your children can go to school with their children. You can meet him as a calm, calm, and polite neighbor, usually reserved. But external appearances can be deceiving; You can mask the internal turmoil the victim feels in the face of memories of physical and mental suffering from the past. Every sight or sound can make you relive the horrors of the past. One of these victims said, “Every time I hear a baby crying, I think about the people I heard crying in prison. Every time I hear a sweeping sound in the air, I remember the shaft moving up and down, the sound it made just before it hit me. ""
Torture is not the exclusive domain of political extremists and terrorist groups. It is also used by military and police forces in several countries. Because? Torture can be a quick and effective way to obtain information, extract confessions, obtain incriminating statements, or seek revenge. According to Dr. Inge Genefke of Denmark, a leading expert on torture, governments in some cases "have come to power and asserted their position through the practice of torture". As one victim put it: "You wanted to overthrow me so that if you criticize the government, others can see what happens to you."
For many people, the idea of inflicting torture on other people is very reminiscent of the Middle Ages. Finally, in 1948, the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: "No one should be tortured or subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." (Article 5) However, some experts estimate that up to 35 percent of the world's refugees have been tortured. Why is torture so common? How are victims affected and what can be done to help them?
The results
It is not surprising that many victims of torture leave their homes to start a new life elsewhere. But while the place can change, the physical and psychological suffering continues. For example, the victim may feel guilty for not being able to protect friends or family from abuse. You can also develop a deep distrust of others because you fear that everyone you meet will be informants. "The victim of torture will always be a stranger," says the writer Carsten Jensen. "He lost his trust in the world forever."
The result is a mixture of physical and mental trauma that can confuse the victim and anyone who wishes to help. Sometimes physical problems can be treated easily, but psychological problems are not. “At first we thought, 'Okay, let's put his bones in and then they can go home,' admits Dr. Genefke.“ But we quickly learned that it was the pain in their hearts that tormented them However, Genefke notes, "It was a surprise to learn that it is possible to provide relief and help the victims, even though many years have passed."
In 1982, Dr. Genefke and other Danish doctors set up a small unit at the National Hospital in Copenhagen to treat refugees who have been victims of torture. From these small origins a global network has emerged under the name of the International Council for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (IRCT). From its headquarters in Copenhagen, the Council conducts relief operations in more than 100 centers around the world. Over the years the Council has learned a great deal about the treatment of victims of torture.
How to provide support
It is often useful for victims to share their experiences. "About 20 years ago," an IRCT front page reads, "victims of torture were victims in two ways." First to face physical / psychological torture, then to not be able to talk about it. "
Of course, it is not pleasant to talk about a subject as dark as torture. But if the victim wants to trust a friend and the friend refuses to listen, the victim can become even more desperate. Hence, it is important that the victim is sure that someone is looking after them. Of course, no one should interfere in another person's personal affairs. Ultimately, it is up to the victim to decide if, when, and whom to trust (Proverbs 17:17); 1 Thessalonians 5:14.
Most experts recommend considering the physical and psychological aspects of torture. For some victims, rehabilitation requires professional help. Treatment approaches include breathing and communication exercises. * Feelings of shame are often the first to come across. One therapist told a woman who had been repeatedly raped and beaten, “The shame you feel is normal and understandable. But remember, it's not yours. Shame belongs to the people who did this to you. ""
Concentration camp survivors
During World War II, millions of people in Hitler's concentration camps suffered terrible outrage. Among them were thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses who were persecuted for refusing to give up their religious beliefs. Without a doubt, their faith helped them endure these difficult circumstances. How? "Or what?
Long before they were imprisoned, these Christians carefully studied the Word of God. So they were not surprised when trials broke out, nor did they blame God when their sufferings did not end immediately. By studying the Bible, the Witnesses learned why God allows wickedness and how He will end it in due course. They learned from studying the Bible that Jehovah “loves righteousness” and that he is outraged when people abuse others.
Of course, many of these concentration camp survivors had to deal with the traumatic consequences of their ordeal. In this way, they were greatly strengthened by following the advice of the Apostle Paul. While languishing in a Roman prison, a situation that must have caused great concern, Paul wrote to his brothers in faith: “Do not worry about anything, but make your requests known by praying and asking for gratitude Goodbye ;; and the peace of God that surpasses all thoughts will protect your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. ”
By studying the Bible, these guardians of integrity learned that God promised to make the earth a paradise where the painful effects of degradation such as torture will eventually be removed.