What is Torture?

Torture: the deliberate use of physical or psychological methods that cause a person severe pain and suffering with the intention of punishing, intimidating or extracting information from him or her. The torture must be perpetrated by a public official or at his or her direction.
- The United Nations Declaration Against Torture

Torture: the deliberate, systematic or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other reason.
- The World Medical Association

Fear is an essential element of torture. When torture is used, a whole society, not just the individual who is being tortured, lives in fear. Other society members are afraid that it will happen to them.
In this way, torture is a tool of social control used by a system that rules individuals and societies through fear.

What is Trauma?

Trauma, or traumatic experiences, cause great stress, pain and/or fear for a person. Traumatic events can disrupt or disturb a person’s health and everyday living. STARTTS is particularly concerned with trauma that happens in situations of organised violence, such as war or violence inflicted by government or paramilitary forces.

Some examples include rape, death or disappearance of a family member, friend or colleague, being harassed by authority figures and burning or looting of a home or place of work.

How Many Refugees in Australia Have Survived Torture and Trauma?

Most refugees will have experienced torture or other traumatic events such as bombing, rape, the involvement of the military in the disappearance of friends and family, severe harassment by authorities and witnessing executions, beatings or rape of loved ones. Experts put the figure at somewhere between 70 and 90 percent.