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Program for Torture Victims

Type	Non-Profit NGO
Founded	1980
Founders	Ana Deutsch, M.F.T. & José Quiroga, M.D.
Executive Director	Julie B. Gutman, Esq.
Location	Los Angeles, C.A.
Services	Medical Evaluation & Treatment Psychological Services Social Services & Healing Groups Legal Support & Training Research & Evaluation Public Education, Advocacy, & Legislative Work
Website	www.PTVLA.org

The Program for Torture Victims (PTV) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that aims to help rebuild the lives of torture survivors from over 65 countries who have stood up for freedom, democracy, and human dignity. PTV provides free and comprehensive services to more than 300 survivors annually – helping heal their wounds by empowering them to reenter society, reclaim their identities, and work toward a world without torture.

History

The Program for Torture Victims (PTV) was founded in 1980 by Dr. José Quiroga and Ana Deutsch. As refugees themselves, they understood the difficulties of dealing with trauma while simultaneously having to rebuild a support system of friends, family and employment.

Before coming to the United States, Dr. Quiroga was a personal physician to the democratically-elected president, Salvador Allende. Following a brutal coup d’état by General Augusto Pinochet in 1973, Dr. Quiroga found himself the victim of violent persecution. Fortunately, Dr. Quiroga was able to relocate with his family to Santa Monica, California, where he had accepted a position at the UCLA School of Public Health.

Meanwhile, Ms. Deutsch, a psychologist, had fled Argentina’s “Dirty War” in 1977 after those involved in opposition activities were threatened with arrest by the military dictatorship. The rest of her family arrived in the U.S. the following year, after they were released from prison. They had been kidnapped and tortured, like so many other victims of the military junta.

Dr. Quiroga and Ms. Deutsch met in Los Angeles in 1979. They began working on an aggressive campaign against torture with the Los Angeles Amnesty International Medical Group. The organization was conducting a study documenting cases of torture and the consequences for refugees and asylum-seekers in the United States. Dr. Quiroga assessed the medical consequences of torture while Ms. Deutsch assessed the victims' psychological well-being. However, Amnesty International decided that they, as an organization, were unable to provide direct treatment to torture survivors.

Dr. Quiroga and Ms. Deutsch knew that the torture survivors with whom they had been working needed rehabilitation services and decided to start an independent program. And so, in 1980, the Program for Torture Victims was born.

After the study by the Amnesty International Medical Group was completed, Dr. Quiroga presented it to the American Psychological Association. This was among the first research on the medical and psychological consequences of torture. Dr Quiroga and Ms. Deutsch quickly became known as professionals treating victims of torture. It wasn’t until 1987, years after PTV began, that the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was enforced and torture was legally recognized and defined for the first time

From the beginning, PTV established a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation of torture survivors that included medical, psychological, case management and legal services. Dr. Quiroga and Ms. Deutsch had begun to treat clients in local clinics and in their own homes. Partnering with organizations such as Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, El Rescate, CARECEN and Amanecer, PTV quickly became well known in the Central American refugee community. Dr. Quiroga, having already been a volunteer at Venice Family Clinic for years, formed a partnership in which he was able to use their facilities to see PTV patients. Based in a small apartment at the time, Venice Family Clinic is now the largest community clinic in the U.S. and still home to PTV’s medical office.

In 1994, PTV received its first grant from the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and was incorporated as a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization. Several years later, in 2000, PTV received a federal grant for $2 million over a four-year period, allowing PTV to add staff and relocate the administrative office from Ms. Deutsch’s home to downtown Los Angeles. With paid staff and a central office, PTV was finally able to expand its scope to include areas like research and evaluation. Over the years, Dr. Quiroga and Ms. Deutsch have won numerous prestigious awards and have worked internationally in court cases, trainings and other avenues advocating against torture.

Demographics

According to a report by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), 48,217 refugees were admitted into the U.S. in 2007. Of that total, 2,619 (5.43%) resettled in Florida, 2,978 (6.18%) relocated to New York and 6,699 (13.89%) chose to resettle in California; making California home to more incoming refugees than the next two states combined. Of all those who sought to make California their new home, 4,645 (69%) resettled in the five counties PTV serves - Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. Out of all of the counties in California, The Los Angeles Federal Immigration Court had greatest number of asylum seekers with 4,064. Between 2002-2008, the L.A. Federal Immigration Court adjudicated the highest number of asylum applications of any immigration court in California with 69,172 cases - 63% of the state total. As states, Florida and New York had 75,499 and 73,746 applications for asylum, respectfully; just a fraction more than L.A. County alone.

Client Demographics

The demographic makeup of PTV's client population is ever-changing, as global, regional, and national sociopolitical dynamics are constantly in flux. Thus far, PTV has served clients from over 65 countries.

Regional Breakdown of Clients

Basic statistics of entering clients from the 2009-2010 fiscal year

Number of Clients:	305
Gender:	52% Male
	44% Female
	4% Transgender
Region of Origin	39% Africa
	39% Asia
	16% Latin America
	5% Eastern Europe
	1% Western Europe/Other

Services

The Program for Torture Victims (PTV) has developed an integrated, comprehensive approach to rehabilitation. Clients see a PTV case manager, physician and psychotherapist. PTV partners with some of the region’s leading service providers, including the Venice Family Clinic, Clinica Oscar Romero, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and Public Counsel, among others.

Medical Evaluation and Treatment

Clients are evaluated by a PTV physician. When specialized procedures are needed, a wide network of physicians at the Venice Family Clinic and other local health care organizations are utilized at no cost to the client. PTV also offers ongoing consultation and trains health and mental health care providers on treating survivors of torture.

Psychological Evaluation & Counseling

PTV uses an integrated approach to rehabilitation that addresses the needs of torture survivors. This includes psychological evaluation, individual and family psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation and follow-up, and psychological affidavits for asylum seekers in immigration court.

Working with Families - PTV works with family members of torture survivors. The overall goal of intervention is to restore a healthy dynamic after the rupture created by persecution, uncertainty, and separation.

Healing Club - The Healing Club is an informal gathering of clients, their family, and staff for cultural and recreational activities. This activity creates a sense of community among and between torture survivors from different countries, religions, and ethnic backgrounds.

Women’s Support Group - Nearly half of PTV’s clients are women. The aim of the program is to empower them to recover their inner strengths and hope for the future.

Asylum Readiness Group - This group provides clients with information about the asylum process, and addresses ways to reduce the stress that accompanies the process. The goal is to give survivors confidence and optimism about their future.

Legal Support & Training

Most of PTV's clients seek refuge in the United States as asylum seekers. As the largest port of entry to torture survivors, Los Angeles has the highest number of asylum claims filed in the United States.
PTV's staff prepares forensic medical and psychological evaluations and serve as expert witnesses in federal immigration court. Reliving horrific experiences through testimony can be extremely traumatic to the survivor. The PTV clinical staff prepares the client for the emotional responses they might have on the stand. The presence of a trusted PTV volunteer or staff member can provide the extra moral support a client needs to answer questions clearly and in the necessary detail about the experience.
PTV also works with an extensive network of attorneys to ensure high-quality legal assistance for clients. Our staff provides training to attorneys and legal groups to ensure that clients receive appropriate and adequate legal representation to win their asylum cases.

Social Services & Healing Groups

PTV provides emergency assistance with referrals for temporary shelter, food and other basic needs, as well as support in finding permanent housing and good jobs. They have also established support groups that create a sense of community for clients, address their various needs and help them become spokespeople against torture.

Social Services offered:

• Food and clothing distribution
• Locate temporary housing and rental assistance
• Referrals for job training, employment, and education
• Transportation
• Interpreter services
• Client Emergency Fund

Research Evaluation

PTV is a rich resource for research information on torture survivors. They have created an extensive database with information on treatment outcomes for torture survivors, and are working to create a powerful resource for lawmakers to address policy issues related to the asylum process.

Public Education, Advocacy, & Legislative Work

PTV initiates public programs to educate the general public about the use of torture worldwide and its consequences for individuals and society. They also engage elected officials and policymakers in efforts to combat torture and advocate for resources to facilitate the healing of torture survivors and their families. PTV also collaborates with local organizations to host public programs for events such as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. They believe that dialogue about torture and its consequences to the individual and society are critical in moving toward a future without torture.

See also

International Institutions

• European Parliament – Subcommittee on Human Rights
• European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Punishment or Treatment

Rehabilitation Centers and Programs

• International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) – Global Directory of Rehabilitation Centres and Programmes
• The National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs – www.NCTTP.org

Non-Government Organizations Working Against Torture

• Amnesty International (AI) – www.amnesty.org
• Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) – www.APT.ch
• Center for Justice and Accountability – www.CJA.org
• Coalition for the International Criminal Court – www.ICCONW.org
• Coalition of International Non-Governmental Organizations Against Torture (CINAT) –www.CINAT.ogr
• Human Rights Watch – www.HRW.org
• International Commission of Jurists – www.ICJ.org
• International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (Fi.ACAT) – www.Fiacat.org
• International Rescue Committee – www.theIRC.org
• National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) – www.NRCAT.org
• Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) – www.OCHR.org
• Redress Trust – www.redress.org
• World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) – www.OMCT.org

Health Professional Organizations

• Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) – www.PSR.org
• International Council of Nurses (ICN) – www.ICN.ch
• World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) – www.WCPT.org
• World Medical Association (WMA) – www.WMA.net
• World Psychiatric Association (WPA) – www.WPANET.org

Health and Human Rights Info

• Health and Human Rights Info: an internet-based database with several hundreds links to information on health and human rights (both in English and Spanish) - www.HHRI.org

Further reading

Staff publications

• Bauer B, Quiroga J. The war on terror's youngest victims. Preventing torture. IRCT Newsletter; 2(6):2-4. 2009.
• Berthold, S. M. (2009). [Review of the book Images of America: Cambodians in Long Beach]. Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement.
• Berthold, S.M., Wong, E.C., Schell, T.L., Marshall, G.N., Elliott, M.N., Takeuchi, D. & Hambarsoomians, K. (September 2007). U.S. Cambodian Refugees’ Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Mental Health Problems. Psychiatric Services, 58 (9), 1212-1218.
• Berthold, S. M. (2007). Transcultural Approaches in Working with Traumatized Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children, Youth and Their Families. In N. Cohen, T. Tran, & S. Y. Rhee (Eds.). Multicultural Approaches in Caring for Children, Youth, and Their Families. (pp. 269–311). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
• Chang, J., Rhee, S., & Berthold, S. M. (2008). Child abuse and neglect in Cambodian refugee families: Characteristics and implications for practice. Child Welfare, 87(1), 141-60.
• Deutsch, A. (2007). Secuelas de la Tortura en el Individuo, la Familia y la Sociedad, Chapter in the book: Atencion Integral a Victimas de Tortura en Procesos de Litigio, Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, San José, Costa Rica.
• Fernando, G., Miller, K.E., & Berger, D. (2010). Growing pains: The impact of traumatic and daily stressors on emotional and psychosocial functioning and development of children in Sri Lanka. disasters and their Impact on child development. Child Development, 81(4), 1192-1210.
• Fernando, G., Miller, K.E., & Berger, D. (in press). The impact of potentially traumatic and daily stressors on emotional and psychosocial functioning and development of children in Sri Lanka. Disasters and Their Impact on Child Development, a special issue of Child Development.
• Fernando, G. (2008, April). Assessing Mental Health and Psychosocial Status in Traditional & Collectivistic Cultures: The Case of Sri Lanka. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 78 (2), 229-239.
• Fernando, G. (2007). A space of one’s own. [Book review, Cultural Psychology of Immigrants]. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 265-266.
• Gangsei, D. & Deutsch, A. C. (2007). Psychological Evaluation of Asylum Seekers as a therapeutic Process. Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture, 17 (2), 79-87.
• Jaranson, J.M., & Quiroga, J. (2011). Evaluating the services of torture rehabilitation programmes: History and recommendations. Torture, 21(2), 98-140.
• Marshall, G.N., Berthold, S.M., Schell, T.L., Elliott, M.N., Chun, C-A, & Hambarsoomians, K. (October 2006). Rates and correlates of seeking mental health services among Cambodian refugees. American Journal of Public Health, 96 (10), 1829-1835.

• Miller, K.E., & Fernando, G. (2008). Epidemiological assessments in emergency settings: Recommendations for enhancing a potentially useful tool. Intervention, 6, 255-230.
• Miller, K.E., Fernando, G., & Berger, D. E. (2009). Daily stressors in the lives of Sri Lankan youths: A mixed methods approach to assessment in a context of war and natural disaster. Intervention, 7.
• Moio, J.A. (2008). Resiliency and recovery: An exploration of meaning and personal agency for women survivors of state sponsored torture (Doctoral Dissertation). Available from Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3346914)
• Moio, J. (2007). Torture: Advances and limitations in explanatory theories and implications for cross cultural social work. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 15 (3-4), 1-30.
• Nutkiewicz, M & Durocher, R. (2007). “The Aftermath of Torture” in L.A. Psychologist. PTV publishes a biannual newsletter entitled, “Stepping Forward.” (Copies were submitted with each semi-annual report) .
• Quiroga J. (2009). Torture in children. Torture. 12:19(2): 66-87.
• Quiroga, J. & Jaranson, J. (2008). “Torture,” in G. Reyes, JD Elhai & JD Ford (Eds.), The encyclopedia of psychological trauma. John Wiley and Son, pp. 654-657.
• Quiroga J. (2007). Técnicas de la entrevista con victimas de tortura. Investigación de la Historia del trauma. In Consideraciones para la Investigación de la Tortura en México. Publicado por la Oficina en México del Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas.
• Wong, E.C., Marshall, G.N., Schell, T.L., Elliot, M.N., Hambarsomians, K., Chun, C-A., & Berthold, S.M. (2006). Barriers to Mental Health Care Utilization for U.S. Cambodian Refugees. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74 (6), 1116-1120.
• Zunxunegui MV, Alvarado BE. Garcia-Araneda N, Quiroga J. Privatization of health care and the health and functional status of the Chilean elderly population. The Journal of Aging and Emergency Economies (JAEE). 1 (2):3-21, 2009.

Notes

Category:Human rights organizations Category:Torture