Torture

Torture is the infliction of severe physical or psychological pain or grief as an expression of cruelty, a means of intimidation, deterrent, revenge or punishment, or as a tool for the extraction of information or confessions.

Aspects of torture

The use of torture has been criticized not only on humanitarian and moral grounds, but on the grounds that evidence extracted by torture tends to be extremely unreliable and that the use of torture corrupts institutions which tolerate it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The purpose of torture is often as much to force acquiescence on an enemy, or destroy a person psychologically from within, as it is to gain information, and its effects endure long after the torture itself has ended. In this sense torture is often described by survivors as "never ending". See Psychology of torture.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Incrimination of innocent people

One well documented effect of torture is that with rare exceptions people will say or do anything to escape the situation, including untrue "confessions" and implication of others without genuine knowledge, who may well then be tortured in turn. There are rare exceptions, such as F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas, G.C., who refused to provide information under torture.

Related Topics:
F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas - G.C.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Secrecy / publicity

Depending on the culture, torture has at times been carried on in silence (official denial), semi-silence (known but not spoken about) or openly acknowledged in public (in order to instill fear and obedience).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since torture is in general not accepted in modern times, professional torturers in some countries tend to use techniques such as electrical shock, asphyxiation, heat, cold, noise, and sleep deprivation which leave little evidence, although in other contexts torture frequently results in horrific mutilation or death. Evidence of torture also comes from testimony of witnesses and from breaches of discipline as for example, the untrained and indiscreet amateur photographers of Abu Ghraib prison.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Motivation to torture

It was long thought that "good" people would not torture and only "bad" ones would, under normal circumstances. Research over the past 50 years suggests a disquieting alternative view, that under the right circumstances and with the appropriate encouragement and setting, most people can be encouraged to actively torture others. Stages of torture mentality include:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Reluctant or peripheral participation
• Official encouragement: As the Stanford prison experiment and Milgram experiment show, many people will follow the direction of an authority figure (such as a superior officer) in an official setting (especially if presented as a compulsory obligation), even if they have personal uncertainty. The main motivations for this appear to be fear of loss of status or respect, and the desire to be seen as a "good citizen" or "good subordinate".
• Peer encouragement: to accept torture as necessary, acceptable or deserved, or to comply from a wish to not reject peer group beliefs. At worst this leads to competition between torturers to produce more pain or harsher results.
• Dehumanisation: seeing victims as objects of curiosity and experimentation, where pain becomes just another test to see how it affects the victim.
• Disinhibition: socio-cultural and situational pressures may cause torturers to undergo a lessening of moral inhibitions and as a result act in ways not normally countenanced by law, custom and conscience.
• Organisationally, like many other procedures, once torture becomes established as part of internally acceptable norms under certain circumstances, its use often becomes institutionalised and self-perpetuating over time, as what was once used exceptionally for perceived necessity finds more reasons claimed to justify wider use.

Medical torture

Main article: Medical torture

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At times, medicine and medical practitioners have been drawn into the ranks of torturers, either to judge what victims can endure, to apply treatments which will enhance torture, or as torturers in their own right. A famous example of the latter is Dr. Josef Mengele, known then by inmates of Auschwitz as the "Angel of Death".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Effects of torture

Organizations like the Medical Foundation for Care of Victims of Torture try to help survivors of torture obtain medical treatment and to gain forensic medical evidence to obtain political asylum in a safe country and/or to prosecute the perpetrators.

Related Topics:
Medical Foundation for Care of Victims of Torture - Forensic - Evidence - Political asylum

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Torture is often difficult to prove, particularly when some time has passed between the event and a medical examination. Many torturers around the world use methods designed to have a maximum psychological impact while leaving only minimal physical traces. Medical and Human Rights Organizations worldwide have collaborated to produce the Istanbul Protocol, a document designed to outline common torture methods, consequences of torture and medico-legal examination techniques.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Torture often leads to lasting mental and physical health problems.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Physical problems can be wide-ranging, e.g. sexually transmitted diseases, musculo-skeletal problems, brain injury, post-traumatic epilepsy and dementia or chronic pain syndromes.

Related Topics:
Sexually transmitted diseases - Brain injury - Epilepsy - Dementia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mental health problems are equally wide-ranging; common are post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety disorder.

Related Topics:
Post-traumatic stress disorder - Depression - Anxiety disorder

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Treatment of torture-related medical problems might require a wide range of expertise and often specialized experience. Common treatments are psychotropic medication, e.g. SSRI antidepressants, counseling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, family systems therapy and physiotherapy.

Related Topics:
Psychotropic - Medication - SSRI - Antidepressants - Counseling - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Family systems therapy - Physiotherapy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Main article, see Psychology of torture for psychological impact, and aftermath, of torture.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~