International Day for Support of Victims of Torture – Sunday 26 June

In the run-up to the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture this Sunday, the UK charity Freedom from Torture has released the top ten countries of origin for survivors being referred to them alongside a new report on the needs of torture survivors who are on the move as refugees.

Since 1985 Freedom from Torture has been the only charity dedicated to the treatment and support of torture survivors seeking refuge in the UK. The charity’s Chief Executive Susan Munroe warns that too often it is forgotten that torture survivors are among the flows of refugees and they fail to access the help they need in refugee camps, on the road or when they arrive in countries such as the UK.

The charity’s report From Torture Cell to Therapy Room; Survivors’ Journeys to Rehabilitation considers the situation of torture survivors before and after they have been detained in the torturing state, after they have fled and are living in refugee camps, on their journeys to the countries where they seek refuge, and the problems they face when they arrive and apply for asylum. It finishes with recommendations on good practice for governments and service providers.

In 2015 Freedom from Torture received over 1550 referrals to provide clinical and other services to torture survivors from over 80 countries. This was an increase of 18 per cent on 2014. The top three countries of origin of survivors who were referred to the charity were Sri Lanka, with 326 referrals, Iran with 158 referrals and Pakistan with 133 referrals. The other countries in the top ten for referrals were Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, Eritrea, Nigeria and Iraq.

Susan Munroe, Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture said:

“It’s all too often forgotten that torture survivors are among those fleeing desperate situations worldwide. Many of them have suffered serious trauma but have no hope of accessing the specialist help they need in their countries of origin, refugee camps or on the road.

“If they get to the UK to apply for asylum there is very little that is available in the way of rehabilitation. At Freedom from Torture we receive increasing numbers of referrals for our services yet our limited resources mean that we cannot meet the demand and must turn away two survivors for every one we can help.”