Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi Convener Pvchr Ms. Shirin Shabana Khan Project Coordinator, Pvchr

Testimony to improve psychosocial wellbeing and promote advocacy for survivors of torture and organized violence Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi Convener PVCHR Ms. Shirin Shabana Khan Project Coordinator, PVCHR

A collaborative project of •

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Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Copenhagen & Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), Varanasi

Testimony as a Brief Therapy Intervention 

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First project in Varanasi, India with the human rights organization: Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR): “Capacity building project on testimonial therapy for Human Rights Organizations in India”

The objectives of the project 

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Context specific manuals for using the Testimony Method developed Capacity built in using the Testimony Method among human rights defenders Psychosocial wellbeing of survivors enhanced Impact and outcomes analyzed through an M&E system

Interpretation of Testimony (Dr. Jhawar , clinical psychologist, Varanasi)         

T- Truth E- Emotions S- Sentiments T- Tortured I – Individual M- Magnifiable O- Operations N- Never Y- Yielding their rights

Testimony Model Developed Four sessions: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Session one: Opening the story Session two: Closing the story Session three: Delivery ceremony Session four: Follow up

PVCHR Human Rights Work   

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Investigate & Document Violations Advocacy “Folk Schools” in “People Friendly” model Villages People can give testimonies and receive support from the group Concerns of health and education

Manual A manual on testimony therapy for community workers and human rights defenders was developed (published both in English and Hindi)

Giving Voice “Using Testimony as a Brief Therapy: Intervention in Psychosocial Community Work for Survivors of Torture and Organised Violence”

Testimony Workshops 

Three two-week training-of-trainers workshops conducted: 1. 2.

3.

May 2008: 12 human rights defenders from PVCHR January 2009: 14 Human rights defenders from four states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. February-March 2009: 14 Human rights defenders from three states: Jharkhand, Manipur and Chattisgarh

Schedule of Workshops Two parts: 1. First week: 

Theory and exercises (through role plays)

2. Second week: 

Practice: Participants take testimonies with survivors under supervision

Testimonies collected 

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Period of data collection:12 months (May 2008 to April 2009) On average the interview is held 1 year and 5 month after the date of the most stressful event

Background of survivors 

A total of 85 primary and secondary victims of which:  

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Male: 65 (76 %) Female: 20 (24 %)

Average age: 39.2 yrs; Age - ranging: 18 -70 yrs

Background of survivors Category of survivors  Primary Victim: 61  Secondary Victim: 24  Secondary victims most often reported relation to primary victim as either wife (29 %), father (14 %) or brother. Religion:  Vast majority are Hindus (86 %, n= 72) followed by christian (7 %, n=6). 

Background of survivors 

Caste    

Upper Caste: 9 % (n = 8) OBC: 46 % (n = 39) SC: 21 % (n = 18) ST: 24 % (n = 20)

Background of survivors 

Education  No education: 28 % (n= 24)  Primary education: 19 % (n=16)  Secondary education: 19 % (n= 16)  BA: 11 % (n=9)  Other 24 % (n =20)  high school, intermediate, BAMS

Background of survivors 

Occupation:  Agriculture: 37 % (n =31)  Business: 6 % (n =5)  Household: 6 % (n =5)  Public service, journalism, teacher: 6 % (n=5)  Lawyer, doctor: 2 % (n=2)  Government or political position: 2 % (n=2)  Other 40 % (n = 34),  Primarily landless labour, such as haker, tea stall, making plates or rickshaw driver  Not working 2 % (n =2)

Background of survivors 

Activities:      

Humanitarian/ Solidarity: 29 % (n =25) Political: 6 % (n=5) Religious: 6 % (n=5) Trade Union: 2 % (n=2) Press: 1 % (n=1) No activities: 49 % (n=42)

Type of Violations 

Types of Human Rights violations:     

Psychological torture: 82 % (n=70) Physical torture: 48 % (n=41) Sexual torture: 4 % (n=3) Custodial death of primary victim: 2 % (n =2) Extra-judicial killing of primary victim: 1 % (n=1)

Identity of Perpetrator 

Identity of perpetrator:     

Police: 80 % (n =68) Armed forces: 5 % (n =4) Intelligence Service: 2 % (n =2) Prison authority: 1 % (n =1) Other: 34 % (n =29), 

Primarily neighbours, Village leader and Upper caste

Injured Part of Body 

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Most frequently injured parts of body  one or both legs 25 % (n =21)  back 24 % (n =20)  one or both arms 20 % (n =17)  one foot or both feet 15 % (n =13)  face 13 % (n =11)  head 9 % (n =8)  chest/breast 8 % (n =7)  not injured: 28 % (n =24) On average primary victims report 2.4 injured body parts

Nature of Injury 

Most frequently types of physical injuries:        

Pain 26 % (n=22) Loss of function 26 % (n =20) Loss of sensation 20 % (n= 17) Open wound 20 % (n =17) Loss of strength 18 % (n =15) Bruise 11 % (n=8) Fracture 9 % (n =8) Not injured 24 % (n=20)

Treatment before Testimonial Therapy         

Legal aid: 33 % (n=28) Testimony before tribunal: 31 % (n=26) Public hospital: 19 % (n=16) Counselling: 19 % (n=16) Medication: 17 % (n=14) Private hospital: 11 % (n=9) Physiotherapy: 4 % (n=3) Surgery: 2 % (n=2) None: 29 % (n=25)

Use of Testimony 

Survivor wants:

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80 % want it published or used for human rights work

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Other interventions by PVCHR or other actors:    

Medical: 8 % (n=7) Social: 55 % (n=47) Legal: 60 % (n=51) Reading of testimony at Folk School Meeting: 53 % (n=45)

Types of Delivery Ceremonies 

At public demonstration in front of Government Head Quarters

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At “Folk School” meetings

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At community meetings

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At street plays & singing

Demonstration in front of District Headquarter

Folk School Meeting

Community Meeting

Street Play

Out come of Professional Consultation 

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Interesting part of this therapy is that it has both Western element of Anger Management, Classical Conditioning and Eastern approach of relaxation methods and Meditation. It’s a cost effective model of psychotherapy which don’t require clinics or hospitals but, directly one can do this intervention at the doorsteps of the victim. For ex. His house, community, in a forest etc. The economic cost of the whole approach seems to be very less than regular psychotherapy session in a clinic or hospital.

Facts 

There are around 3,000 adequately qualified psychiatrists and 1000 clinical psychologist in the entire country of more than a billion populations.

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In U.P itself there may only be less than 100 psychiatrists and 100 psychologists. The ratio of doctors is very less.

Advocacy Web Advocacy:  

Web News: www.mynews.in You Tube: www.youtube.com

Legal: 

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Meta Legal: (Cases in Human Rights institutions, allied system, police departments, policy makers and UN) Legal: (which are in the court)

Aims of this Consultation 

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To increase the awareness of how torture engenders psychological symptoms in survivors and how it affects their daily life. To discuss the experiences gained after taking testimonies of 80 survivors of TOV. To integrate testimony into political campaigns, contributing to the national campaign for the ratification of CAT and the national domestic law against torture. To explore the possibility of creating alliances with different political organizations and stake holders in India concerning the fight against TOV. To promote the psycho-social well-being of the survivor of TOV.