Our year at Freedom from Torture

Thank you so much for standing with survivors of torture in 2018. Our thousands of wonderful supporters around the UK have helped us press for policy change, fight torture and raise funds to help survivors rebuild their lives. 

In 2018, our donors helped us raise more than £6 million to support more than 1,000 torture survivors through therapy, and legal and practical assistance to navigate the UK asylum system. Thanks to your support, we’ve invested in creative paths to rehabilitation, from our Write to Life group sharing their work at the Edinburgh Book Festival to our pioneering therapeutic partnership with Arsenal Football club.

Together we’ve also campaigned for a fairer UK asylum system, including an end to the immigration detention of torture survivors. We stood up for the absolute torture ban, including taking to the streets in protest at President Trump’s support for torture and exposing torture in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And we’ve taken survivor voices into the heart of British politics, securing cross-party support for our issues - on Parliament Square for Refugee Week and in the Houses of Parliament for Survivors Speak OUT’s 10th anniversary.

200 new clients began therapy with us, after fleeing torture and seeking sanctuary in the UK - reminding us that torture is still ongoing and compelling us to work harder than ever before to stop it.

“If I could meet a Freedom from Torture supporter, I would tell them to continue supporting the organisation without hesitation because Freedom from Torture is doing is so much. It is bringing people back from the dead, and you are helping to bring people back to life and giving them protection. When the Home Office rejects you or puts you on the street, you are in no man’s land. But, with Freedom from Torture, things can get better.  Do not hesitate to keep supporting Freedom from Torture so they can continue doing the incredible job they are doing for humanity.” - David, torture survivor and current client

This year, our dedicated therapists have delivered more than 20,000 hours of therapy and more than 100 clients were able to complete their therapy with us. At the same time, almost 200 new clients began therapy with us, after fleeing torture and seeking sanctuary in the UK - reminding us that torture is still ongoing and compelling us to work harder than ever before to stop it.

None of this would be possible without you - thank you! See you in 2019.