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Congressman Gives Voice to Torture Survivors
by FIRST Project | Views: 1117
On August 25, six survivors whose voices were silenced through torture had the opportunity to be heard by a member of the United States congress. Rep. Lee Terry, his Legislative Assistant Caroline Baird and his Omaha outreach coordinator Karen Davis visited FIRST Project and met with six torture survivors representing five different countries.
The survivors' willingness to talk directly with Rep. Terry opened the door to effect worldwide change in the use of torture because the congressman co-sponsored the Torture Victim Relief Act (TVRA) in the House of Representatives. It is the TVRA that primarily funds FIRST Project and other torture treatment centers in the United States and around the world.
In their brave desire to educate Rep. Terry, the survivors were willing to share with him the unspeakable and horrific acts they experienced. These clients understood the importance of speaking for other survivors so that they would have the opportunity to also receive treatment. They also understood how important it is for Rep. Terry to know firsthand the horrors so that he can feel knowledgeable and passionate about his support of the TVRA and legislation against the use of torture.
It was a great honor to witness this event. It was difficult to have a dry eye as the stories were told one after another. Rep. Terry and his staff were genuinely interested and caring, and the six survivors felt heard.
Torture survivors often find it hard to trust others, especially government officials because in their homelands government officials might have participated in their torture. By telling their stories to our congressman, these six clients demonstrated the progress they've made at the F.I.R.S.T. Project. Is there a better way to truly understand U.S. democracy your right to be heard and to begin healing?
Every year I meet with other directors of torture treatment programs in Washington, D.C. as part of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs annual meeting. We meet in Washington because it affords us an annual opportunity to meet with our respective representatives and senators and to increase their awareness about torture and their support for torture treatment in their own backyard and worldwide.
While in Washington, we invite members of congress to visit us, and throughout the year we keep in touch with their staff. Rep. Terry is the first to visit FIRST Project and the first Nebraska representative to co-sponsor the TVRA. In the Senate, Sen. Chuck Hagel has signed on as a co-sponsor of the TVRA. We welcome Sens. Hagel and Nelson and Reps. Fortenberry and Osborne to visit us in the future.
I encourage each of you reading this column to join in the fight against torture. Call or write your congress representatives and tell them how you feel. Please check out the FIRST Project website (http://www.firstproject.org/letters.php#action) for a sample letter, as well as contact information for all five members of congress. Your calls and letters do make a difference, and they give credence to our heritage of democracy and freedom.