When Psychological Support is Suddenly Stopped, it Leads to Psychological Relapses Among Survivors of Torture and Raises Conflicts with Professional Ethics

Let’s imagine a doctor in the operating room performing a surgical procedure. During the surgery, he’s told to stop working. What would happen to the patient if the doctor left the wound open without completing the surgery and closing it properly? We all know the answer: the patient will definitely be harmed, and this could lead to other complications.

Is leaving a patient with an open wound in line with medical ethics? Absolutely not!

The service suspension resulting from cuts to U.S. government funding at the Center for Victims of Torture is no different. Services for survivors of violent conflict and torture were abruptly halted, potentially causing severe psychological relapses, especially since we are talking about people who have experienced trauma and suffer from extremely sensitive psychological symptoms. These relapses may require additional efforts from therapists to be addressed later. Thus, the service interruption adds to the trauma and has serious repercussions, from the return of psychological symptoms to suicidal thoughts and attempts. Yes, we have not completed the wound closure process due to the sudden funding suspension, and this is inconsistent with professional ethics worldwide.

The sudden suspension is a disappointment for us as service providers as well as for the survivors we treat. It reinforces their feelings of neglect and loss of human dignity, which is inconsistent with human rights and contradicts the fact that mental health is not a privilege but a natural right for every human being. The sudden suspension also leads to the entrenchment of an unhealthy self-image and the loss of hope in the possibility of change for the better. The sudden suspension also is re-victimization with the message that “your suffering is not worth caring about.” Sadly, for us as care providers, that would never be a message we would mean to send.

The sudden suspension also is re-victimization with the message that ‘your suffering is not worth caring about.'”

For 40 years, the Center for Victims of Torture has been a safe haven and a lifeline for thousands of survivors of torture, suffering and trauma. CVT’s centers in many countries have witnessed the suffering of survivors and the effects of this suffering on the individual, family and societal levels. The services provided by the Center for Victims of Torture have contributed to survivors reconstructing their lives and reconnecting with themselves and their communities. The services have been a lifeline for them. But the question remains: What is the expected outcome when this lifeline and this building are suddenly cut off?

The sudden cut of funding has left hundreds of survivors on the brink of collapse, a situation that not only threatens their psychological stability but also contradict basic human rights and global professional ethics. Hundreds of survivors of torture and conflict suffer from sudden loss and trauma, and the abrupt cut exposes them to situations that trigger traumatic memories, while preventing appropriate care.

The sudden cut of funding has left hundreds of survivors on the brink of collapse, a situation that not only threatens their psychological stability but also contradict basic human rights and global professional ethics.”

The clients of the Center for Victims of Torture are accustomed to healing in a trusting environment, with a primary goal of rebuilding trust in themselves and others. They have become accustomed to CVT’s ethical commitment over the past 40 years.

I remember in one of my sessions, a client likened CVT to “holding the hand of someone who is under rescue after a devastating earthquake.” I remember in another session a client joined me and pointed out that “CVT helps him get out of the bottom and breathe fresh air, helps him get out of the deep hole and puts him on the road.” Another client wrote that “CVT witnessed the birth of a new baby girl and a new soul” after the suffering she had gone through. Indeed, caring for survivors, psychologically and physically, is like new births, and this is what we are used to witnessing in the Center for Victims of Torture.

Let us remember that trauma leaves deep scars and psychological, physical and social wounds. Psychological and physical care for survivors is an urgent necessity for recovery, providing hope and reassurance while preserving their dignity, and protecting them from developing chronic mental disorders.

Based on my role in providing direct services and my belief in the importance of the role played by the Center for Victims of Torture, which has been the voice that echoes my mornings when I set out to work, I call for the continuation of the partnership in building a bridge to recovery, as providing care is not just a gift, but an investment in communities to be productive and safe, and the impact is collective, not individual.

About The Author

Eman Al-Hamad

Learn More