Torture is a word often dismissed because it is too hard to imagine too difficult to see how others in the world have performed it. More subtle terms/phrases to avoid any use of torture are. 

1. Working yourself up calm down *Psychology is a bad teacher 

2. I feel trapped *form of harassment is torture 

3. Breaking up (really so accepted in modern world, who passed this one in?) ouch 

4. You will complete this or suffer the consequences of points reduced (hidden meanings) 

5. It's hopeless there's nothing you can do (what happened to planning, hey strategy anyone) .....stay away from that person who has NO CLUE whatsoever! 

These are some more subtle ways that society has thrown the gauntlet in and tells these little lies in the name of well torture. One such form of torture I believe that has made it's rounds once too often is academic harassment. It can be so dramatic that it destroys ones confidence levels. I'm reading some reviews of student engagement with their instructors at Grand Canyon University. Students have sounded the alarm siren on many of occasions. Yet  GCU in most cases didn't do much to fix the problem. This leaves a student "reeling away" at desperation and thinking their is no other option than take themselves out of the university scenery of pursuing the American dream of graduating �!

Here's a small guide of tips to deal harassment in education.

If you still feel with firm belief that the professor is being bias and one sided these following tips can assist you towards a formidable resolution:

Show good faith first. ...

Go up the chain of command structure..

Use the 3D approach - (Document, document, document)

Be prepared to follow-up with assertive action.

WANT TO READ UP ON ACADEMIC HARASSMENT THE ARTICLE IS HERE TO EXPLAIN MORE IN DETAILS. 

https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/campuslife/health/Examples.html