This is a two article course. Article 1 (Working with Survivors of Torture: Approaches to Helping) Survivors of torture often have physical and psychological scars that are difficult to heal, and too few specialized organizational and professional resources are available to assist in their recovery. In working with torture survivors, social workers must extend their scope of practice beyond what is normally required. In this article, the authors describe 2 case vignettes that illustrate themes and issues common to many survivors of torture.
Article 2 (A Plague of Our Time: Torture, Human Rights, and Social Work) Social work provides services to refugees and immigrants, the groups most likely to have been tortured, and despite this, the professional literature contains little information on torture or torture treatment. In this article, the authors discuss the extent of torture worldwide, review the prevalence of torture survivors in the United States, and discuss populations most at risk and the effects of torture. In the heart of the article, they discuss treatment considerations and resources for social workers involved with torture survivors. Working with survivors requires knowledge about human rights violations; identification of symptoms of torture and survivors reluctant to reveal this part of their past; community context and treatment environments; skills in healing trauma; advocacy; and brokering necessary medical, mental health, legal, and social services.COURSE SYLLABUS
Article I
I. Introduction
II. A Refugee Family from Africa
III. Discussion of the Work with Family C
IV. A Central American Torture Survivor
V. Discussion of the Case of Miss M.
VI. Issues and Implications for Social Work
Article II
I. Introduction
II. Human Rights and Torture
III. The Prevalence of Torture
IV. Effects of Torture
V. Working with Survivors of Torture
VI. Practice Implications
This course is based on the reading online article, Working With Survivors of Torture: Approaches to Helping created by David W. Engstrom, PhD et al
