Six questions about torture

There are thousands of refugees living in Finland who are survivors of torture. The Deaconess Foundation’s Centre for Psychotraumatology has been rehabilitating victims of torture for more than 30 years.

Kuusi kysymystä kidutuksesta

1. What is torture?

Torture is the most pronounced and fundamental violation of human dignity. It is the intentional infliction of severe physical or mental pain or suffering. Torture can involve either individual acts of violence or wider forms of oppression and persecution, accompanied by a range of acts that violate human dignity.

The purpose of torture may be to threaten, terrify, punish, coerce or provide information. Torture can also be aimed at a minority group, to degrade the victim’s humanity and cause fear, shame and silence, perpetuating a cycle of violence and oppression.

2. Who are torture victims, and where does torture take place?

Torture is used widely worldwide, in both state and non-state settings. In Finland, torture victims are most often refugees seeking safety.

Vulnerable groups such as minorities, refugees, migrants, women and children are particularly vulnerable to torture. However, anyone can be a victim of torture, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, political opinion or socio-economic status. For example, the abuse of persons belonging to sexual and gender minorities most often meets the criteria of torture and combines many social and structural factors.

Combatants may also be particularly vulnerable to being tortured – in armed conflicts, as suspected traitors, as prisoners or in counter-terrorism operations.

Who are the torturers?

Torturers can be state officials such as police officers, soldiers or prison guards, and individuals such as members of criminal groups or family members. Torture can also be enabled by a community or a group.

4. Are there torture victims in Finland?

Finland is committed to international human rights obligations, which strictly prohibit torture in all its forms. Torture is a crime under the Finnish Criminal Code and carries severe penalties, including imprisonment.

However, cases of inhuman and cruel treatment have been reported in Finland. Assault, meaning other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, is also mentioned in the Finnish Criminal Code.

There are also thousands of refugees in Finland who have been tortured.

According to the Finnish Immigration Service, in 2023, 19,426 people applied for temporary protection in Finland, 5,372 applications for asylum were submitted, and 1,342 quota refugees were resettled in Finland.

According to the latest estimates, three out of four people with refugee or conflict backgrounds have experienced some form of violence in their former country of origin: war, physical harm, sexual violence, torture or imprisonment.

How can you identify someone who has been tortured?

Victims of torture may exhibit both physical and psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms may include injuries, scars, chronic pain and insomnia. Psychological symptoms may include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative disorders. These may be accompanied by non-clinical problems, such as feelings of shame and guilt about what has happened, various social problems, anxiety or problems integrating into society.

It is important to bear in mind that not all victims of torture experience the same symptoms and to understand that some of these symptoms may have causes other than torture alone.

What can be done to help those who have been tortured?

Rehabilitation for torture survivors is possible but can take years. The effects of torture always go beyond one person: if there is a victim of torture in the family, the whole family is affected. Torture traumas are also passed on from one generation to the next if they are not properly treated.

Identifying the symptoms of torture in primary health care so that help can be available is crucial. Once the need has been identified, the individualised, multidisciplinary rehabilitation process begins. In addition to a psychiatrist, the treatment team usually includes a nurse, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist and a social worker. The role of the interpreter as part of the rehabilitation team is also important.

The Deaconess Foundation’s Centre for Psychotraumatology has been rehabilitating victims of torture for over thirty years. In 2023, the centre had more than 300 patients from over 26 countries. Most patients came from Syria, Iraq, Congo and Afghanistan.

Sources: experts from the Deaconess Foundation’s Centre for Psychotraumatology and Finnish Immigration Service statistics.