Sexual torture of political prisoners: An overview
β Scribed by Inger Agger
- Book ID
- 102925697
- Publisher
- Springer
- Year
- 1989
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 756 KB
- Volume
- 2
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0894-9867
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
β¦ Synopsis
Not much is known about the repressive use of sexuality against political prisoners. It is important to gain a better understanding of the trauma involved in sexual torture for treatment purposes. On the basis of clinical experience with refugees from the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America, and the collection of mainly unpublished material on the subject, a theory of the psychodynamics of sexual torture is proposed. It is claimed that this method of torture is especially traumatic, as it is characterized by a con fusing and complex ambiguity containing both libidinal and aggressive components, against which the victim has difficulty maintaining a psychological defense. Hence, his or her core identity processes are threatened. Aspects of transcultural treatment are discussed, and it is stressed that there must be a reframing of the trauma story so as not to repeat the psychological pain of the torture and aggravate symptoms. The Testimony-Method is introduced as an important tool for reframing. If the refugee presents sexual symptoms, sexological treatment interventions are recommended.
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## Abstract The authors examined how different types of torture methods are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatic symptoms among political exβprisoners. Participants were 275 Palestinian men who reported their experiences in detention and imprisonment, PTSD (the Harvard T
The relationship between the nature and severity of aperiences of torture and ill-treatment and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was studied in 550 male nonhelp-seeking Palestinian political ex-prisoners from the Gaza Strip. Results showed that the more a prisoner had been erposed to ph