Survivors of Torture |Take Action

Who is a survivor of torture? A detainee at Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo? A taxi driver or a nanny? A fellow subway rider? Torture has been documented to be practiced in 102 countries. Of the millions of people fleeing torture and persecution in their homeland, government figures estimate that 400,000 survivors now make their home in the United States. For many of these new immigrants-- separated from their families, facing homelessness, unemployment, precarious legal status, and learning English for the first time--acknowledging and overcoming the scars of their trauma histories is only one aspect of a daily life permeated with pain and struggle. These survivors remain largely invisible. Their stories are untold, their experiences unshared. As a result we – as a society – are deprived of a true understanding of the lifelong impact of torture. This knowledge is crucial to enable government officials, courts, policy-makers and the general public to formulate our nation’s policy on torture. Hearing the voices of survivors and others intimately involved in their challenges and recovery will deepen our empathy. Make the commitment today to welcome these courageous people into your community and help them re-build their lives in the United States.