RCT11 Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims
“Torture must always be fought ”
Annual Report 2011
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
CONTENTS Torture must always be fought
3
Rehabilitation 2011
6-7
A year with Spring sensations
8-10
RCT behind a great deal of new research
11-13
A year of fighting against torture
14-16
HR as a strategic ally
17-19
RCT Publications 2011
20-21
Donations and pledges of support 2011
22
Accounts 2011
23
ANNUAL REPORT 2011 Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Borgergade 13 P.O. Box 2107 DK-1014 Copenhagen K Phone.: +45 33 76 06 00 Fax: +45 33 76 05 10 e-mail: rct@rct.dk www.rct.dk SE-nr. 69 73 51 18 Giro BG Bank nr. 1199-0007383940 Dansk Bank nr. 3001 4310821209 Direction Karin Verland (editor-in-chief) Anders Bernhoft Simon Kratholm AnkjĂŚrgaard Layout Cadwalk ISBN: 978-87-90878-43-6 ISSN: 2245-4608
Annual Report 2011
Torture must always be fought By Karin Verland, Director General
The terrorists have won a giant victory. They have succeeded in bringing division into our own home. They have succeeded in making democratic countries use torture in the fight against terrorism, thereby turning good into evil. We who still believe that torture does not solve any problems have been dealt a blow. We who meet the victims of torture every day know what it does to human beings to be placed in a powerless position and then have so much pain and anxiety inflicted on them that they either lose their lives or never become whole human beings again.
3
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
Torture must always be fought
Debate in Denmark
What is torture?
Last year, the issue of torture was again debated in
Not so long ago I spoke to a politically active man
Denmark. The debate emerged from a UN report on
from Zimbabwe. Shortly before our meeting, someone
systematic torture in Afghan prisons to which the Danish
had poured boiling oil on his face with the purpose of
army hands over prisoners and from a case concerning the
disfiguring him for life. This way the torturers would
Iraq war where Denmark is accused of having handed over
always be able to recognise him if he returned to his
prisoners to torture. Both cases show that a long road still
village. It is my experience that Danes do not know what
lies ahead, even for a country that wants to be exemplary
torture is. They do not know that persons subjected to
in its observance of human rights. RCT participated
torture are beaten up, kicked in the head, jumped on, have
actively in the domestic debate, in the media as well as
the soles of their feet beaten with metal pipes, are tortured
through in-person meetings with politicians and ministers.
with electric shock to their genitals, are raped with truncheons or broken glass or hung by the arms causing
Too many Danes are pro-torture
their shoulders to dislocate.
On the occasion of the Human Rights Day on 10 December,
They do not know that torture destroys tendons and joints
RCT had commissioned an opinion survey among the
and inflict life-long chronic pain on the victim of torture.
Danes. We wanted to get an idea of the population’s view
They do not know that it causes nightmares, concentration
on torture. We were not surprised to learn that almost
difficulties, learning difficulties, anxiety and depression.
one in four Danes found that torture in certain cases is
They do not know that it causes fear of authorities and
acceptable. Since then, this figure has grown to 31 percent
distrust and that the trauma is often “passed on” from
in a new opinion survey; something which cannot merely
mother and father to son and daughter. Torture destroys
be ascribed to statistical uncertainty. When our politicians
people completely, physically as well as mentally.
are hesitant, uncertainty is created among the Danes. This proves that if standards are good, double standards
A ticking bomb
are twice as good. We need to have courageous politicians
When torture supporters are asked to explain why torture is
with guts enough to say no to torture. If they don’t, they
a good way of getting information, they use examples from
contribute to undermining the fight against torture and
Hollywood movies. That is what we call “the ticking bomb”
to defeating the intentions of the UN Convention Against
scenario. So far there is no evidence that an imminent terror
Torture. The Convention calls upon Denmark to prevent
attack has been prevented through the use of torture. And
torture and to always uphold the absolute prohibition
if torture really is that effective, how come it took ten years
against torture.
to locate Osama bin Laden? We know from our research that torture is an extremely ineffective tool of investigation and we are supported by i.a. present and former directors of military intelligence. But why is torture such an ineffective tool? Well, there are five very good reasons: 1) Victims of torture cannot give reliable information due to dissociation, i.e. they cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy in the torture situation 2) Victims of torture will say anything to avoid torture 3) Hardened terrorists and fanatics purposely give false clues to gain time and to inform on enemies 4) Innocent victims give a lot of information, which wastes the authorities’ time 5) The torturers do not know when the information given by the victim is correct. So when should they stop torturing the victim?
Annual Report 2011
Modest progress
Inequality
Even though we do experience progress in the
In fragile states with inequality among the
fight against torture and organised violence, we
citizens we see how assaults from the state lead
still have far to go. It is still RCT’s assessment that
to violence in the population as well. This is a
approx. 60 percent of the world’s population live
vicious circle that makes it even more dangerous
in countries where there is a risk of torture. Even
to live in Guatemala now than during the actual
though there are a lot of countries where torture
civil war. Rumour has it that in Honduras they
is rare, torture is still a widespread tool. Just look
are trying to solve the problems by burning down
at Syria where torture is practically increasing
prisons with the prisoners still inside. At RCT we
exponentially with the opposition against the
work to prevent these assaults. We do research in
regime. In many Asian countries torture is a part
the prevention of organised violence and we use
of everyday life.
our research results to take active initiatives to help make everyday life safer for the citizens.
North Africa RCT has launched a major prevention and
Torture is the problem, not the solution
rehabilitation project in North Africa. The Arab
If we are ever going to succeed in putting an end
Spring has brought hope to those who had none.
to torture, we need to start by putting our own
But the road to societies without torture and
house in order and set a good example. We must
organised violence is long and winding. Even
not stoop to the dictators’ and fanatics’ level
though the dictators are gone, the new regimes
and use torture. Nor must we use information
adopt the bad habits of the old regimes. It is
obtained through torture in legal proceedings
reported that the situation in Egypt is worse now
in Denmark or deportation cases. We must set
than under Hosni Mubarak.
a good example and lead the way. Torture is not part of the solution. It is part of the problem.
“Torture is the problem, not the solution” 5
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
Rehabilitation 2011 By Gordon Wildschiødtz, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Rehabilitation Department
The central work in the Rehabilitation Department continues to focus on the interdisciplinary rehabilitation of victims of torture and severely traumatised persons. Rehabilitation is an intensive and longterm process, which imposes natural limits on the patient flow. The department has focused on shortening the treatment processes so that the treatment is completed within approx. ten months. RCT’s new referral procedure with preliminary assessments involving the physical presence of the client within a few weeks has proven to be highly effective when it comes to identifying the clients who do not need the full interdisciplinary treatment offered by RCT. A natural consequence of this procedure has been that we receive a larger share of severely traumatised clients, which is in line with RCT’s unique function as a national centre in Denmark specialising in rehabilitation of traumatised refugees with particularly complex problems. Thanks to the new referral procedure, those who do not need interdisciplinary rehabilitation can now move on to alternative treatments more quickly. The new procedure means that RCT has succeeded in cutting the waiting list from 146 to less than 50 clients. And as the annual client flow is now approx. 125, we expect that no one will have to wait more than six months for treatment in the future.
Annual Report 2011
Special focus on urgent needs
Contributes to international work
In order to meet a need for urgent treatment we
Finally, the Rehabilitation Department also
have established an urgent treatment option
contributed to the international work in e.g.
where the client can get treatment within two
Jordan and Cambodia by sending psychologists
to six weeks. This group of clients particularly
and physiotherapists with a view to sharing our
includes persons who are absent from work due
pain school and physiotherapeutic programmes
to an industrial injury or clients who have lost
with our partners. Building capacity with our
their job in connection with a worsening of e.g.
partner organisations constitutes an important
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms.
part of RCT’s development work as we can
We have also accepted clients for urgent
transfer competencies to local people this way.
treatment when children in the family have been
With these competencies they will be able to
at risk. The urgent treatment is provided by our
carry out the work without foreign assistance in
individual teams and in more complicated cases
the future.
by our family team. Increased monitoring Throughout the years, RCT has worked with very meticulous medical, psychological, physiotherapeutic and social diagnosing of the individual client in order to assess her or his individual need for treatment. Various monitoring systems have been developed to enable us to monitor the effect of the treatment provided. As several of these computerised monitoring systems have now become outdated, we chose to review our entire monitoring programme. Through finetuning and optimization, at the start of 2012, the RCT will be able to introduce a new monitoring procedure which means that monitoring starts with the preliminary assessment and ends when the treatment is completed ten months later. The monitoring data are secured in generally used and recognised database systems so that they can be used in the day-to-day rehabilitation work at the clinic. In addition, it will enable us to assess the effect of the rehabilitation. In parallel with this monitoring of effects, the Research Department has launched
“The new procedure means that RCT has succeeded in cutting the waiting list from 146 to less than 50 clients�
a project that also focuses on evaluating the work performed by the department. We will have the first results within a year.
7
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
A year with spring sensations The Arab Spring played a big role for RCT in 2011. Among other things, RCT opened a new office in Tunis. Unfortunately, the positive developments in the Middle East and North Africa form a sharp contrast to the negative developments in Central America. By Jan Ole Haagensen, Director of the International Department
Annual Report 2011
For RCT, the year 2011 was very much devoted
Increased regionalisation and
to North Africa where especially young people
South-South Cooperation
lead the way in revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt
In the Arab regions, they seem to become much
and Libya. This development spread in ever-
better at finding local solutions to local problems;
widening circles to the rest of the North African
RCT is a partner in the work to monitor the
and Middle Eastern regions. In some countries,
treatment of prisoners as well as in the work to
the rulers have succeeded in keeping the fire
train health professionals in the rehabilitation of
under control, but the fire is still strong in
torture survivors.
Bahrain and Yemen and hopefully it is only
In Africa, we draw on local resources more often
a question of time before the regime in Syria
and we use their experience. In Asia, RCT supports
falls.
the Asian Human Rights Commission in its efforts to involve the elected representatives of the
Torture was part of everyday life under the
people in order to achieve the necessary political
previous regimes so considerable future efforts
support. In this region, certain countries have
will be needed to ensure rehabilitation of the
spent vast resources on educating and training
victims of torture as well as to strengthen the
people in the legal sector, but if the political will
state structures so they won’t use torture in the
is absent and torture is accepted in all spheres of
future. The latter takes place in close dialogue
society as a necessary means, it is an uphill battle
with police, prison authorities and legal system.
because we will need to focus on creating political
Therefore, RCT has entered Libya, Tunisia and
will. This is, for instance, the case in India where
Egypt with the support of the Danish Ministry of
we work with the People’s Vigilance Committee
Foreign Affairs. To begin with, our activities are
for Human Rights to create public pressure. This
coordinated from our newly established office in
is quite a challenge considering the fact that the
Tunis. This is a daunting task so we collaborate
country has a population of more than 1.2 billion.
with other international organisations in the
It sounds like a difficult task and it may take
field, including our umbrella organisation IRCT.
some time, but it is not impossible.
We want to draw on Arab experts and especially
Denmark
to document what has happened with a view to subsequent prosecution of those who authorised the torture as well as those who performed it. This will have a significant preventive effect in the
Kosovo
future. Our work also centres on contributing to the development of legislation and institutions to ensure that torture stops and that the practice of
Albania Tunesia
torture is not resumed.
Gaza
Jordan
All this requires unambiguous political support from the rulers, but unfortunately this support Guatemala suggest that torture is now even more widespread
than under Hosni Mubarak. In Libya, the Libyan people first need to gather and build a state
Ba
India
is not always forthcoming. HondurasReports from Egypt
Sierra Leone Sri Lanka
Liberia
Ecuador with an efficient and democratic government. In
Tunisia, the development is more promising.
Zimbabwe
9
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
A year with spring sensations Progress in the Balkans The Balkan Region is also struggling with huge challenges and do not always develop as planned, but we can see that the countries are making some progress. RCT’s partner in Albania, Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture (ARCT), has consequently helped support the Albanian Ombudsman during a period where the political system was not working and the parliament was not able to agree on much. ARCT has made formal agreements with the Ombudsman and the Albanian prison services, which have lead to noticeable improvements, particularly in the health area. For instance, prison doctors now have access to medical records that can be used to document torture and Disintegrating Central American states
to ensure that the prisoners get the necessary
In Central America, Honduras seems to be
treatment. Moreover, ARCT has played a key
heading for a meltdown and things are not
role in amending a number of prison acts
looking much brighter in Guatemala, El Salvador
concerning the treatment of prisoners. With its
and Nicaragua. In Honduras, state institutions
medical expertise and huge commitment, ARCT
have degenerated to such an extent that the
contributes to ensuring that Albania’s national
citizens can no longer tell the police from
visiting mechanism works and continues to
criminal gangs.
develop for the prevention of torture. ARCT’s work has been recognised at highest levels; at the
Last year the country had the dubious honour of
beginning of 2012, the country’s president, Bamir
being proclaimed the most dangerous country
Topi awarded the Medal of Gratitude to Adrian
in the world. In 2011, the murder rate was 86
Kati, executive director of ARCT.
murders per 100,000 inhabitants. In a Danish perspective this corresponds to more than 4,700 murders a year in Denmark, instead of the 44 murders we had in 2010. The majority of people killed are adolescent boys and young men. Inspired by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global Violence Prevention Alliance - of which RCT is a part - our partners work to find practices and strategies that have proven effects in other, preferably Latin-American, countries and which can be reproduced locally. The next step in the process is to get the local decision-makers to support these strategies so that they achieve legality as well as legitimacy.
Annual Report 2011
RCT behind a great deal of new research In 2011 RCT left an important mark on the research in torture and organised violence. Several new projects were launched – and a number of results were published. By Edith Montgomery, Director of the Research Department
In terms of health and social sciences 2011
conditions. More intensive symptoms such as
was an exciting year for RCT. The Research
anxiety and depression and a higher degree
Department initiated a number of new projects,
of impairment of functional capacity were
while other projects were completed and the
associated with increased response to pain in
results published. This way RCT maintains its
connection with an experimentally induced
position as the leading expert and knowledge
pain in the lower leg and increased prevalence
centre in the world within research in torture
of the clinical neck-shoulder pain. Sensory
and organised violence.
hyper sensitivity was seen in an area far from the clinical pain area. Most of RCT’s patients
In the area of rehabilitation, the Research
experience pain in large parts of the body so this
Department commenced and completed a
phenomenon probably also applies to this group.
qualitative interview study of the expectations
An important intervention in case of chronic pain
of 15 victims of torture with regard to their
is pain relieving treatment. In collaboration with
participation in a rehabilitation programme. In
the Lund University RCT is doing further work
addition, a study was initiated comparing torture
in this area in the form of a study of the effect
victims’ experiences and the physiotherapist’s
of acupuncture on chronic pain, which may help
objective assessment of functional capacity with
improve the treatment of torture survivors’ pain.
chronic pain. Also a pilot project with objective
The work of identifying relevant indicators for
measurement of the patients’ walking pace was
rehabilitation processes continued in 2011, i.a.
launched.
by means of a large database from the Umeå
Chronic pain continues to be an important focus
University with 20,000 patients who have
area in RCT’s research. A study completed in 2011
undergone pain rehabilitation.
in collaboration with the Linköping University indicates that central pain mechanisms are involved in clinical, chronic neck-shoulder pain
11
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
RCT behind a great deal of new research Populations and communities
Consolidation of the work with the Global Prison
A number of new activities were implemented under
Network continued and a thematic issue of the
our populations and communities strategy in 2011.
journal Focaal has almost been completed.
In this regard particularly the following two projects
We have also continued to work on developing
should be emphasised; an EU-funded research
the army as a future, strategic focus area. In this
project focussing on narratives from Kurdish torture
connection we have done some analytical work aimed
survivors in Denmark and a research project with
at establishing a dialogue between various conceptual
funding from the Danish Council for the Humanities
frameworks regarding torture and the army.
which focuses on narratives and healing among
The research programme ”Violent organization of
genocide survivors in Cambodia.
political youth” was formally completed in 2011, and
In a number of countries we continued our data
three doctoral theses are almost completed as well.
collection and field work with the purpose of
Each project makes its own unique contribution to a
examining the biopsychosocial consequences of
deeper understanding of the underlying dynamics of
torture and organised violence. In addition to field
violence in Bangladesh, Nepal and Kenya.
work in connection with the above projects in
In the Philippines a formal collaboration agreement
Cambodia and Denmark, we also continued our work
was concluded between RCT, Balay and the University
with “Crime prevention among traumatised refugee
of the Philippines to support a research unit
families in Denmark” and “Psychosocial interventions
comprising up to four MA students and focusing on
for survivors of torture and organised violence in
violence, suffering and human rights.
Latin America.” The work with an epidemiological survey of
Documentation
torture continued with preparations for field work
The most prominent development in the
in Kurdistan and Kosovo, and in North Africa in
Documentation Centre’s work in 2011 was the
collaboration with the Birzeit University in Palestine.
intensified and formalised collaboration with
A number of research results were published in
RCT’s Communication Department where the
various ways, of special importance are a doctoral
Documentation Dept. has played a central role in
thesis presenting 20 years of RCT research on children
relation to RCT’s new website as a supplier and editor
and young people exposed to torture and organised
of information about important new publications
violence, a monograph in Danish concerning Danish
and bibliographical data in general.
soldiers on missions in the Balkans and Iraq and a
At the same time the Documentation Centre and
publication regarding the mechanisms used to give
the Documentation Department made an ongoing
words to, normalise and tone down violence.
effort to increase the synergy between the Centre’s database and RCT’s website. And it works. A
Perpetration and reform
comparison of the last four months of 2010 and
A grant from the Danish Social Science Research
2011, respectively, shows an increase in the number
Council enabled us to start a new project under the
of visitors of more than 100 percent in 2011. At
research programme ‘Confinement, violence and
the same time the number of visitors where the
reform’ which deals directly with one of RCT’s central
user does not just read one page and then leaves
research areas; the study of practice in prisons and
the website has increased by almost 40 percent.
detention centres. The project involves three of RCT’s
The Documentation Centre’s thesaurus project
international partners and has ground-breaking focus
“Thesaurus of terminology related to torture and
on the prison as an institution that practices violence
organised violence” reached the implementation
and NGOs as reforming institutions. The project
stage in 2011. Data files with the contents of the
is very much at the cutting edge of international
thesaurus were sent to the Centre’s system provider,
research on prisons in the South.
Reindex, at the end of 2011, and the preparatory technical work of incorporating the thesaurus in the Centre’s database was commenced.
Annual Report 2011
RESEARCH PROJECTS 2011
Rehabilitation Mechanisms and treatment of symptoms after torture and organised violence
Living in limbo? An ethnographic study of institutions,
Falanga torture, disability, pain mechanisms and behavioural consequences
Symbolic reparation for victims of human rights
Mechanisms for chronic muscular pain
Violence and everyday life in Columbia
Stimulation treatment for chronic pain Sleep disturbances in victims of torture and organised violence Effects of rehabilitation programmes on activity and participation after torture and organised violence Indicators for rehabilitation processes Expectations of victims of torture in relation to the rehabilitation process Monitoring instruments for rehabilitation processes Effect study of interdisciplinary rehabilitation of victims of torture and organised violence Controlled trials of psychotherapeutic intervention Populations and communities
interventions and poor black Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa violations in Cambodia
Kurdish torture survivors in Denmark Long-term effects of extreme stress Danish sailors – the war sailor syndrome Perpetration and reform Institutions that practice torture and human rights abuse State and non-state detention practices in Sierra Leone State and non-state violence in South Africa: Policing, vigilantism and gangs Asymmetric armed conflict – the profound transformation of global conflict and violence on the military institution and its soldiers
Refugee families
Confinement and violence in India
Psychosocial stress factors in refugee mental health -
Mobilisation of young combatants in the Mano River
family perspectives
region
Health and well-being of asylum-seeking children and
Networks that practise torture and organised violence
refugee children in the Nordic countries Attachment narratives in refugee children - a method study Crime prevention among traumatised refugee families: Implementation of network meetings in Danish municipalities Prisons and refugee families: Youth crime and traumatised refugee families and their meeting with the system of justice and social authorities Violence in local communities
The violent organisation of political youth Youth mobilisation in Manila: Electoral politics, crime and authority in Bagong Silang Mungiki in Nairobi, Kenya. Between violent youth politics and traditionalist sect Mobilisation and social navigation in student politics at Dhaka University, Bangladesh Political activism in the context of Nepal’s democratic transition: Mobilisation, hope and survival among youth in Kathmandu
Influence of violence on social and gender identity in Latin America Epidemiological study of public violence and access to justice in Guatemala Epidemiological study of torture and political violence in conflict settings 13
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
A year of fighting against torture By Dorrit Rée Akselbo, Director of the Communication Department
2011 was an exciting and at times busy year for the newly established Communication Department. In the first months of the year, much of the work in the Communication Department focused on Denmark’s first examination by the UN Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review (UPR). In this connection RCT met several times with representatives of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which represented the Danish government in the examination, and worked closely with 11 other NGOs to make a joint submission on the human rights situation in Denmark. The examination produced 133 recommendations from the Human Rights Council. Unfortunately, the government only accepted a disappointing 84 of the recommendations. RCT was particularly disappointed that Denmark would not stop using diplomatic assurances as a way of circumventing the absolute prohibition against deporting people to countries where they risk being subjected to torture.
Minister of Defence Nick Hækkerup
Annual Report 2011
Stop handing over prisoners
One in every four Danes in
in Afghanistan
favour of torture
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan still cause
At the end of the year RCT polled the Danes
scandals that have led to a public debate with
on their attitude towards torture. The torture
RCT as an eager contributor. In October it was
barometer did not indicate stormy weather, but
revealed that prisoners were systematically
the acceptance of the use of torture in certain
tortured in a number of prisons and detention
cases was worrying; a total of 23 percent on a
centres run by the Afghan police and the Afghan
country-wide basis. This discouraging result has
security service, National Directorate of Security
prompted RCT to demand increased focus on
(NDS). Together with the Danish Institute for
human rights in our educational institutions and
Human Rights and Amnesty International,
a clear prohibition against torture in the Danish
RCT demanded that Denmark stop handing
Criminal Code. As the legislation is today, torture
over prisoners to Afghan authorities as this is
is not per se a specific offence. Instead torture is
contrary to the UN Torture Convention, a demand
packed away as an aggravating circumstance in
Denmark’s Minister of Defence, Nick Hækkerup,
connection with sentencing.
refused to meet. RCT continues to work actively to ensure that Denmark does not try to circumvent its state responsibility by resorting to similar sharp borderline practices.
“As the legislation is today, torture is not per se a specific offence” 15
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
A year of fighting against torture
New website 2011 was also the year when RCT launched its
One of the reasons why Karin Verland was
new website, which is available in Danish and
chosen for the position as RCT’s new Director
English. The website is intended to contribute
General is that RCT’s Board wants to enhance
to the global fight against torture and inhuman
focus on external and internal communication.
treatment through knowledge sharing and
Shortly after taking up office as Director
exchange of experience. We want to ensure
General, Karin Verland chose to make the
that the knowledge available in the area,
communication unit under Planning and
e.g. regarding research and proven methods,
Support an independent department reporting
is collected and shared. Therefore, RCT has
directly to the Management. The department
aimed to make the new website more dynamic,
consists of a director, a head of press and a web
relevant and ensure that its content is easily
consultant.
accessible. One of the functions of the new dynamic website is RCT’s electronic newsletter, which is so far only published in Danish. We are still giving the website the finishing touches and the Communication Department will be very pleased to receive positive as well as negative feedback from the users.
Annual Report 2011
HR as a strategic ally By Lene Jelbert, Director of the HR Department
At the end of 2011 the Human Resources (HR) Department got the role as a strategic ally in RCT. The function was previously a purely administrative support function in connection with drawing up contracts, salary grading, recruitment, etc. The function is now an independent department on a par with the other departments in the organisation and also participates in the management work on an equal footing with the other departments. Furthermore, HR functions as a sparring partner and consultant in all staff-related issues.
17
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
HR as a strategic ally
Professional and personal competencies
New tool for employee
RCT is a knowledge intensive organisation entirely
development interviews
dependent on the many professionals who
During the past months HR has focussed on
have widely differing backgrounds in terms of
developing and implementing a new tool for
education.
employee development interviews, which
In order to live up to RCT’s vision and objective
couples future target areas with target-oriented
of a world without torture, it is of decisive
development of competencies. The interview is
importance that the employees always have the
conducted on the basis of a mind map where
competencies required to achieve this objective.
focus is on present as well as future tasks, job
This requires a target-oriented development
satisfaction, relations, etc. The targets for the
of competencies. RCT will now be expanding
coming years are coupled with the need for
the competency concept from being only about
competency development. Success criteria are
professional skills to also include social and
agreed on, thus enabling manager and employee
personal competencies. RCT solves many tasks
alike to keep track on whether or not the targets
in collaboration with other organisations and has
are achieved. A midway employee development
partners at many different levels in the societies of
interview is also introduced to ensure a close
many different cultures. A good employee needs to
dialogue as well as to be able to act and
be able to form part of these relations and have a
reprioritise if required considering the ever-
personality conducive to creating good and lasting
changing world we live in.
relations and results.
Annual Report 2011
Programme for future managers
Focus on job satisfaction
Another of HR’s projects is a programme for new
Job satisfaction and working environment remain
managers. This programme has been developed
important focus areas. Particular focus has been
for professionals, who go from being experts to
placed on stress prevention. We have had theme
also having managerial responsibilities, to help
days and reflection fora that have i.a. focussed on
them balance professionalism and the need for
stress, conflicts, etc. We will keep working with
management and leadership. The programme
this important target area in 2012.
will be structured around various theoretical inputs that are linked to practice. We expect the programme to be launched sometime during the coming year. New welcome programme Feeling welcome as a new employee is very important. We have developed a new introduction programme which is based on a buddy system where the buddy takes the new employee through the introduction programme, offering assistance and advice on anything and everything. The overall introduction to the entire organisation is now planned as two half-days where the department directors each present their own department.
19
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
RCT Publications 2011
Peer-reviewed articles Harlacher U, Persson AL, RivanoFischer M, Sjölund BH: Using data from Multidimensional Pain Inventory subscales to assess functioning in pain rehabilitation. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 2011, 34 (1): 14-21. Jørgensen PS, Leth I, Montgomery E: The Children’s Rights Convention in Denmark: a status report on implementation. Early Education and Development, 2011, 25 (2): 839862. Kold C: The repeated glimpse of a military ‘vivid present’: methodological implications of intertwining things and bodies with minds and words: findings from a Danish field study. Res Militaris: European Journal of Military Studies, 2011, 1 (2): 25 p. Montgomery E, Patel N: Torture rehabilitation: reflections on treatment outcome studies. Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture, 2011, 21 (2): 141-145. Nyberg V, Novo M, Sjölund BH: Do Multidimensional Pain Inventory Scale score changes indicate risk of receiving sick leave benefits 1 year after a pain rehabilitation programme? Disability and Rehabilitation, 2011, 33 (17-18): 15481556. Nyberg V, Sanne H, Sjölund BH: Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation: purpose, design, implementation and characteristics of referred patients. Journal of rehabilitation medicine, 2011, 43 (1): 50-57. Persson AL, Garametsos S, Pedersen J: Computer-aided surface estimation of pain drawings: intraand inter-rater reliability. Journal of Pain Research, 2011:4: 135-141.
Annual Report 2011
Prip K, Persson AL, Sjölund BH: Selfreported activity in tortured refugees with long-term sequelae including pain and the impact of foot pain from falanga: a cross-sectional study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 2011, 33 (7): 569-578.
for Torture Victims (RCT), 2011.
Sjörs A, Larsson B, Persson AL, Gerdle B: An increased response to experimental muscle pain is related to psychological status in women with chronic non-traumatic neckshoulder pain. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2011, 12:230: 26 p.
Modvig J, Jensen BT, Nielsen CV (ed.): Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. Copenhagen: FADL’s Forlag, 2011.
Books, reports and book chapters Birkeland SA: Danmark i krig. Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 2011. Fernando B: Gyges’ ring: the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. Hong Kong: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC); Copenhagen: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), 2011. Gonzales M (coord.), Modvig J, Ronsbo H, Dinesen C (RCT investigators): Violencia en Guatemala: estudio estadístico en cinco departamentos: Chiquimula, Guatemala, Petén, Quetzaltenango y San Marcos,. Ciudad de Guatemala: ODHAG, 2011. Jakobsen SF, Jensen S: Fra bekymring til handling i arbejdet med unge og radikalisering. Copenhagen: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), 2011. 15 p. Jefferson AM: Comparisons at work – exporting ‘exceptional’ norms. In: Ugelvik T, Dullum J (ed.): Penal exceptionalism?: Nordic prison policy and practice. London: Routledge, 2011: 100-117 Jensen S, Polatin P, Naidoo D: Violence and community activism in Vrygrond, South Africa: study report (RCT International Publication Series; no. 1). Copenhagen: Rehabilitation and Research Centre
Modvig J, Bøvith I: Socialmedicin. In: Kristensen JK, Lippert E, Mørkeberg C, Vahr S (ed.): Sundhedsdansk. Copenhagen: Munksgaard Danmark, 2011: 91-96.
Modvig J, Nielsen CV: Torturofre. In: Modvig J, Jensen BT, Nielsen CV (ed.): Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. Copenhagen: FADL’s Forlag, 2011: 213-225. Modvig J, Nielsen CV, Jensen BT: Journalen i klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. In: Modvig J, Jensen BT, Nielsen CV (ed.): Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. Copenhagen: FADL’s Forlag, 2011: 43-51. Montgomery E: Langtidsfølger. In: Vitus K, Nielsen SS (ed.): Asylbørn i Danmark: en barndom i undtagelsestilstand. Copenhagen: Hans Reitzels Forlag, 2011: 125-136. Nielsen CV, Modvig J: Funktionsevne. In: Modvig J, Jensen BT, Nielsen CV (ed.): Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. Copenhagen: FADL’s Forlag, 2011: 22-31. Nielsen CV, Modvig J: Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. In: Modvig J, Jensen BT, Nielsen CV (ed.): Klinisk socialmedicin og rehabilitering. Copenhagen: FADL’s Forlag, 2011: 11-21. Nordin L: Refleksioner over et vellykket terapiforløb: ”Jeg har ikke tænkt mig at tale om mine traumer”. In: Svennevig M: Bag de blå bjerge. Copenhagen: Epigraf, 2011: 73-76. Six-Hohenbalken M, Weiss N (eds.): Violence expressed: an anthropological approach. Farnham: Ashgate, 2011.
Social- og Integrationsministeriet, RCT: 14 cases on handling radicalisation. (Preventing extremism: a Danish handbook series). [Copenhagen]: Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration, 2011. Social- og Integrationsministeriet, RCT: 14 eksempler fra arbejdet med radikalisering. (Forebyggelse af ekstremisme : en håndbogsserie). [Copenhagen]: Social- og Integrationsministeriet, 2011. . Doctoral theses Montgomery E: Trauma, exile and mental health in young refugees. Doctoral thesis, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2011. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2011, 140 (suppl. 440): 1-46. Conference presentations and papers Agger I: Culturally adapted approaches to healing of trauma for torture survivors in Cambodia. Human Rights and Traumatology: 12th European Conference on Traumatic Stress, 2011, June 2-5, Vienna, Austria. Harlacher U, Jacobsen L, Nordin L: Single subject design as research tool in exposure treatment for complex PTSD. Human Rights and Traumatology: 12th European Conference on Traumatic Stress, 2011, June 2-5, Vienna, Austria. Jefferson AM: Confining institutions and practices in Sierra Leone. 39th Annual Conference of the European Group for the Study of Deviance and Social Control, 2011, September 3-7, Chambéry, France. Kold C: Iterations of fire. The ‘local’ in global understandings of war and peacemaking. Anthropological and inter-disciplinary perspectives: PACSA-PRIO Cyprus Centre Joint Conference, 2011, September 1-2, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Kold C: Words of peace – practice of war. 11th ERGOMAS Conference, European Research Group on Military and Society, 2011, June 1317, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Montgomery E: Coping with trauma and exile : the role of social relationships. 15th European Conference of Developmental Psychology, 2011, August 23-27, Bergen, Norway. Mouritsen T: Towards an interdisciplinary approach: family therapy and community empowerment through processual network meetings in cases of refugee parents suffering from complex PTSD. Human Rights and Traumatology: 12th European Conference on Traumatic Stress, 2011, June 2-5, Vienna, Austria. Persson AL, Prip K, Sjölund BH: Three sensory profiles in the foot soles years after torture - a controlled QST study. 7th Congress of the European Federation of IASP Chapters (EFIC) - Pain in Europe VII, 2011, September 21-24, Hamburg, Germany. Rønsbo H, Paniagua W: Harm and remedy: the psycho-socialist movement and the effects of failure. • American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, 2011, November 15-21, Montreal, Canada. • Anthropological and interdisciplinary perspectives: PACSA-PRIO Cyprus Centre Joint Conference, 2011, September 1-2, Nicosia, Cyprus. • The clinic and the court: understanding harm and remedy. Anthropology of Health and Illness Seminar, University of Edinburgh, 2011, May 26-27, Edinburgh, Scotland Wang, S.J.: Multi-country epidemiological study to assess organized crime and political violence (OPV) and human rights violations at the household and population level. ISSHR Capacity Building Workshops and Conference, 2011, October 6-9, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Weiss N: Marks on bodies, traces on souls: testimonies of Kurdish torture survivors. Workshop ‘Traces of violence and legacies of conflict: combining material evidence and narrative exchange for an anthropology of violent encounters’. American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, 2011, November 15-21, Montreal, Canada. Weiss N: Public suffering, private pain: constructions of victimhood among Kurdish activists at home and in exile. Fafokonferansen, 2011, March 2, Oslo, Norway. Articles in professional journals and specialist magazines (non-peerreviewed) Engberg M: Tvangsindlæggelse fra almen praksis. Practicus, 2011, 35 (204): 15-17. Jakobsen SF: How to behave: advice from IDPs. Forced Migration Review, 2011, (37): 23-24. Jensen BS, Nordin L, Harlacher U, Sjölund BH: Hvordan er kvaliteten i de danske MTV-rapporter? (Debate / Feature article). Ugeskrift for Læger, 2011, 173 (23): 1676 Magnussen T: Mubaraks bødler. Nyhedsbrev: Partnerskab for Dialog og Reform, 2011, March: 8-9. Rasmussen J: Domesticating vigilantism in Africa. T.G. Kirsch, T. Grätz (eds.). Oxford: James Currey, 2010 (Book review). Journal of Modern African Studies, 2011, 49 (4): 685-686. Wendt E, Rytter T: A unique regional initiative: the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment. Article 2, 2011, 10(3): 2-5. Østlie J-E: Å bygge opp igjen et menneske (Interview with Bente Midtgaard). Fontene, 2011, (9): 38-41.
21
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT)
Donations and pledges of support 2011 RCT has gratefully received the following donations/ pledges of support from Danish foundations and endowments: Where no purpose is specified, the amount has been donated to RCT’s general work. BHI Fonden DKK 40,000 for a revised, global field manual on rehabilitation of torture victims Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Fond DKK 100,000
Novo Nordisk Foundation DKK 85,000 The Obel Family Foundation DKK 25,000 Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Gavefond DKK 30,000 for legal counselling for RCT’s employees (primarily doctors and social workers) and users Else og Andreas Simonsens Fond DKK 5,000
Danske Banks Fond DKK 25,000
Sports good fonden DKK 10,000 for the research project ”I kamp for Danmark”
Lillian og Dan Finks Fond DKK 20,000 for publication of the thesis ”Trauma, exile and mental health in young refugees”
Research contributions
FLS Industries A/S Gavefond DKK 20,000 Fonden af 17.12. 1981 DKK 50,000 for “Crime prevention among children and young people in traumatised refugee families and implementation of network meetings in Danish municipalities” Hagens Legatet DKK 5,000 for legal counselling for RCT’s employees (primarily doctors and social workers) and users Hotelejer Andreas Harboes Fond DKK 10,000 for legal counselling for RCT’s employees (primarily doctors and social workers) and users Ernst og Vibeke Husmans Fond/ Frantz Hoffmanns Mindelegat DKK 20,000 for a revised, global field manual on rehabilitation of torture victims Generalkonsul Einar Høyvalds Fond DKK 25,000 for the research project ”I kamp for Danmark” Lauritzen Fonden DKK 40,000 for furniture and equipment for treatment of torture survivors
Annual Report 2011
Centre for Aftrican Studies, University of Copenhagen DKK 24,948 Other gifts Christianshavns KFUM DKK 5,500 Danish Nurses Orgainization (DNO) DKK 10,000 WILPF, Denmark DKK 1,000 Lærerstandens Brandforsikring DKK 7,500 Contributions from private individuals DKK 122,327 Although much of RCT’s national and international activity in 2011was funded by Danish Regions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the criteria for the receipt of public funding is that other RCT activities must be privately funded. The donations listed above have, therefore, been invaluable to the work of RCT, and RCT would like to express its gratitude to the donors for this financial support as well as for all other support. It is of great importance to our clients, the torture victims, that RCT enjoys the financial support of the Danish people.
ACCOUNTS
Resultatopgørelse, RCT 1. januar - 31. december 2011
Total income (in 1.000 DKK)
81,360
Expenditures: RCT’s policy and organisational development
Project Expenditures in 2011 (in 1.000 DKK)
Individual projects 590
Rehabilitation, Jordan
3,642
Rehabilitation 18,916
KARAMA, Jordan
1,433
Prevention and advocay
3,265
MENA, North Africa
1,101
Information and Communication
2,883
Human Rights, Sri Lanka
675
Research and documentation
18,735
6,851
TOV and research projects in the South
34,376
Planning and support Total Expenditures
3,962 82,727
Projects in the South, within the framework agreement with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs CSVR, South Arica
1,863
Total Income
81,360
Zimbabwean torture survivors, South Africa
1,253
Total expenditures
82,727
CAPS, Sierra Leone
1,467
Result operations
-1,367
Prison Watch, Sierra Leone
903
Others, West Africa
310
Income financing Expenditures financing Net result financing
Net result of the year
533 -5 528
-839
CPTRT, Honduras
2,106
ODHAG, Guatemala
1,250
CaPreVi, Latin Amercia
1,742
GCMHP, Gaza
2,013
Human Rights, Sri Lanka
AHRC, Hong Kong/Sri Lanka BALAY, Philippines
207 2,053 1,672
OPCAT, Asia PVCHR, India
739
Øvrige, India
58
TPO, Cambodia Prgramme work, Cambodia
332 33
ARCT, Albania
224
KRCT, Kosovo
203
18,428
Total Expenditures
25.279
23
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) Borgergade 13 P.O: Box 2107 DK-1014 Copenhagen K Phone.: +45 33 76 06 00 Fax: +45 33 76 05 10 e-mail: rct@rct.dk www.rct.dk