 ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE
Responding to the growing number of immigrants in the Washington, D.C. area who were victims of torture and war trauma, the Center for Multicultural Human Services, a non-profit mental health facility in Falls Church, Virginia has developed a program to help them deal with the psychological aftermath of their experiences. The Program for Survivors of Torture and Severe Trauma, funded by grants from the United Nations and the federal government, offers counseling and therapy to victims, most of whom are refugees or asylees.
The Center estimates that of the approximately 500,000 survivors of torture living in the US, about 10,000 to 40,000 live in the Washington area. While some victims are able to adapt and prosper in the US, many are unable to get past the psychological damage caused by their experiences.
Torture victims have always arrived in the US, but the numbers are increasing because the use of torture around the world is becoming more common. According to Amnesty International, the number of countries where torture is used increased 23 percent from 1989 to 1999. It occurs in more than 150 countries, and is widespread in almost half of them.
The Program for Survivors of Torture and Severe Trauma receives ,000 from the UN each year. This fall, it received a 0,000 grant from the State Department as part of a larger grant to facilities providing services to torture victims.
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