Helping Hands for Survivors

Helping Hands

Helping Hands
Because torture is designed to destroy the human spirit and make people lose faith in themselves and in others, torture survivors face unique challenges as they learn to trust again. TASSC works to assist survivors in their quest to reintegrate themselves into society through our Helping Hands program.

Goals
To respond to the immediate social, medical, psychological and legal needs that survivors have as a result of torture
To support survivors in their asylum process
To support survivors in becoming self-sufficient
To support survivors on their journey towards healing
To foster the re-establishment of trust in self, others and the world

Facts
Torture leaves no part of the survivor’s life untouched. Torture wounds both body and soul.
Many survivors live in a world of total isolation.
There are an estimated 500,000 torture survivors residing in the United States alone.
The population of survivors is both vastly underserved and often mis-served by the traditional Western therapeutic models for treatment.
There are approximately thirty treatment centers for torture survivors in the United States.
Many torture survivors arrive in the United States destitute, lacking funds to support themselves, and needing access to social services for their very survival.
Many have a history of living in abject poverty during their first years in the United States.
Due to the lengthy process associated with applying for political asylum, the majority of survivors incur extraordinary legal and medical expenses during this time.
Most survivors deal with the physical and, especially, the psychological sequelae of torture for many years, if not for their entire lives.
Many survivors arrive in the United States unable to speak English.
As survivors adjust to their new lives and find employment, they also become important contributors to the Helping Hands emergency fund, thus, lending their own support to those who come after them.

If you are a survivor of torture, TASSC wants to help. You can call us at 202-529-2991 and ask for the Helping Hands program. Or visit us at 4121 Harewood Rd. NE, Washington DC 20017. Look for the big “TASSC” sign and you will find our offices in the basement of the building.