Welcome to the March 2025 issue of CVT World, CVT’s periodic compilation of the latest news, stories and public activities from our team.

Emergency Response to Forced Halt of CVT’s International Programs

News Media Covering Impacts of CVT’s International Funding Cuts

Associated Press: “This sudden disruption is having a huge impact on the healing of traumatized people,” said Yohannes Fisseha, who served as training manager in CVT Ethiopia, in an AP article titled, “‘We Will Just Die in Silence’: US Aid Cuts Hit Ethiopia’s Fragile Tigray Region.” The article covers impacts of U.S. aid cuts across Ethiopia, and mentions that CVT had to halt counseling, physiotherapy and training for health workers to help them identify cases of sexual abuse and make referrals. The article ran in at least 175 outlets.

Star Tribune: “Those who are impacted the most by these closures are people who have already suffered at the hands of some of the world’s worst human rights abusers.” Dr. Simon Adams wrote an op ed article titled, “CEO of Center for Victims of Torture: Ending Foreign Aid Slams the Door on Hope” in the Star Tribune about how halting funding in CVT’s international programs is impacting survivors of torture.

Those who are impacted the most by these closures are people who have already suffered at the hands of some of the world’s worst human rights abusers.”

-Dr. Simon Adams, CVT president & CEO

KARE 11 News: “What we do, not only is the right thing to do, but it also is the least expensive thing to do,” said Neal Porter, director of international services, spoke to reporter Karla Hult about the importance of CVT’s international work and the impacts of U.S. funding freezes on clients. He also mentioned that our research shows that with appropriate care, there are cost savings that offset the shorter-term cost of care.

285 South: Cecil Walker, psychotherapist with CVT Georgia, spoke to Sophia Qureshi in 285 South, discussing the impacts on clients of the current climate of uncertainty. He commented on the importance of access to mental health care for our clients, saying “It’s more than just a nice extra thing that’s available in the community. This is a thing that is really contributing to the lives that are being lived in Georgia.”

“The U.S. government is laying waste to the entire ecosystem of life-saving care that the humanitarian and human rights communities have built over decades. This is short-sighted,” said Dr. Simon Adams, president and CEO, in this statement as the U.S. government issued further termination notices. “Slamming the door on torture survivors is senselessly cruel.”

Here & Now, NPR: “We have dealt with so many suicidal or high-risk clients. If this program is not able to continue, those innocent survivors of war trauma will continue to suffer, their children will continue to suffer. The community as a whole will continue to suffer.” Medhanye Alem, who served as clinical program director at CVT Ethiopia, comments to Robin Young about impacts of the funding freeze on clients and the community.

We have dealt with so many suicidal or high-risk clients. If this program is not able to continue, those innocent survivors of war trauma will continue to suffer, their children will continue to suffer. The community as a whole will continue to suffer.”

-Medhanye Alem, clinical program director, CVT Ethiopia

The Guardian: “Mental health work needs a proper exit strategy: you have to communicate to the patients and end the work safely. Having to stop suddenly was shocking. It just adds to the survivor’s trauma.” Yohannes Fisseha spoke to Fred Harter about how the U.S. funding freeze has impacted Ethiopia.

Pioneer Press: “A quarter of our clients at any given time are at risk of suicide, and now their services have been cut out,” said Scott Roehm, director of global policy and advocacy, on the impacts of funding freezes on CVT clients. “This is all about the Trump administration puffing its chest as much as it can to see how much power it can grab from the other two branches of government … consequences be damned.” This article was picked up here by Yahoo.

KARE 11 News: Simon Adams was quoted by Karla Hult in this article titled: “MN-Based International Aid Organizations Pleading for Help to Continue ‘Life-Saving Work’.” Simon spoke to Raya Quttaineh at KARE 11 soon after CVT was forced to halt our international programs and began facing threats to our U.S. funding, saying “It’s an agonizing waiting game.”

CVT Articles about our Life-Saving Care and Impacts on Clients of Program Halts

Making Differences for Survivors
“With this cut, a vital source of aid and hope has been taken away, leaving those who depended on it to face an uncertain future,” writes Ansam Abu Sabha, who up until the U.S. government stop-work orders in late January served as senior physiotherapist at CVT Jordan, extending care to survivors of torture. In the aftermath of the program halt, Ansam writes about what the care means to clients in Amman and how some reacted to the news that their sessions were coming to an end. She writes that a client told her, “CVT was the only helping hand for us, giving us hope.”

CVT was the only helping hand for us, giving us hope.”

-Former client, CVT Jordan

The Global Call to Support Survivors of Torture
“Where do I see hope?” asked a client in Gulu, Uganda. “For me, hope is that I realize I am important. CVT are the ones who helped me realize this.” This article discusses the importance of rebuilding lives and stable communities, and the power of hope.

’I Can Still Live’ – CVT Clients Speak about Life-Saving Care
Survivors often feel hopeless after torture. But CVT’s care helps people move out from that darkness. This article, “,” shares the voices of many clients who have told us how CVT’s care let them begin to feel life was worth living again. Amina, who went to CVT’s center in Jordan, said, “CVT is a part of my motivation for wanting to live. They gave me my self-confidence back.”

Emergency Response to Forced Halt of CVT’s International Programs
“You were the food for our soul, heart and body,” said a survivor of torture to counselors at CVT Ethiopia as they were forced to abruptly end healing care. We published this article with information about impacts on survivors and actions underway by CVT,  noting, “The sudden halt to care CVT has been forced to implement risks the lives and well-being of the people who came to CVT for the very purpose of rebuilding trust.”

The sudden halt to care CVT has been forced to implement risks the lives and well-being of the people who came to CVT for the very purpose of rebuilding trust.”

Additional Publications

Massage Therapy and Intergenerational Trauma
Dr. Jenn Esala, senior evaluator and researcher, is quoted in this article in WellSpa 360, about the massage therapy study she has underway, as well as the benefits of trauma-informed massage. She commented, “While massage intervention focuses on individual healing, we also know that individual healing is a foundation needed to strengthen communities.”

Abu Ghraib Survivors Fighting for Justice
Yumna Rizvi, senior policy analyst, comments in this article in Real News Network about the long history of injustice for people tortured at Abu Ghraib, noting, “There are innumerable other cases of torture where it was not photographed or caught on film and it never attracted media attention. And those victims were essentially forgotten and the perpetrators never punished.” She also comments on the Alien Tort Statute now being used by victims of U.S. torture to make their case in court and seek redress.

U.S. Pulls out of UN Human Rights Council
“Any state withdrawing from the HRC only encourages the dictators, torturers, and human rights abusers of the world,” said Simon Adams in this article in Inter Press Service on the United States’ withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council. The article was picked up here by MSNBC.

Expanding the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center is Immoral, Dishonest and Cruel
CVT issued this statement as the U.S. begins to transport migrants from the United States to Guantánamo. “The Trump administration is not protecting American citizens from dangerous criminals with this action; it is engaging in a performative show of raw power in order to demonize immigrants and refugees,” said Yumna Rizvi.

Working in Coalition with Partners

Working with partners brings strength to CVT’s policy advocacy. We regularly participate in organized coalition actions that support survivors of torture. Below are some of these coalition and partner actions.

• CVT endorsed this resolution opposing U.S. military action against Mexico and reaffirming respect for Mexico’s sovereignty. The resolution was introduced by Representative Juan Castro, who wrote, “The Trump administration’s threat of military action against Mexico is dangerous and will take us down a dark road.”
• CVT endorsed this bill titled, “Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act,” introduced by Senator Dick Durbin. The bill grants Ukrainians who were already vetted and living in the U.S. temporary guest status. The bill was introduced on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and allows those Ukrainians to stay in the U.S. until the secretary of state determines it is safe for them to return home.