Center for Victims of Torture

Description

CVT exists to heal the wounds of government-sponsored torture on individuals, their families, and communities and to stop its practice. We work locally, nationally and internationally to build healing communities where torture survivors feel welcomed, protected and healed. We fulfill our mission in four ways:

• We provide services directly to torture survivors in the U.S. and Africa, including medical and psychological treatment and social services. We also provide referrals to other agencies in the community.
• We train health, education and human services professionals who work with torture survivors and refugees.
• We conduct research on the effects of torture and on effective treatment methods to be sure that we are providing the best care we can to our clients.
• We advocate for public policy initiatives in Minnesota, in the United States and worldwide that will help heal survivors and put an end to the practice of torture.

The Center for Victims of Torture is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1985. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and offices in St. Paul, Minnesota and Washington, D.C., CVT also operates healing centers in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CVT's client care program spans the disciplines of medicine, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social services and massage and physical therapy. Below are the professional goals and philosophies that explain how each discipline supports CVT's mission by contributing to the healing care of torture survivors through the provision of clinical services, research, training and consultative services.