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Baltimore group offers support for torture and trauma survivors
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Frederec Decka has a scar on his face where he was struck with a gun and marks on his legs where he was burned with cigarettes.
When he arrived in the United States after fleeing his native Cameroon, Decka said he underwent surgery to repair the damage from beatings at the hands of ruling party officials.
“I was obliged to run away,” said the businessman, who became a target of politicians in Cameroon.
Now, the 50-year-old is rebuilding his life in Baltimore City with the help of an organization that serves torture and trauma victims.
As with dozens of asylum-seekers with similarly painful stories, Baltimore-based Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma provided Decka, who used a different last name for fear of retribution if he returns to Cameroon, with a variety of assistance.
Of the 400,000 torture survivors in the United States, about 40,000 have settled in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area, according to ASTT.
“When people flee, often they come [here] so they can connect with people from their own background and culture,” said Karen Hanscom, ASTT executive director.
The proximity to the nation’s capital also attracts those who want to continue the political activism that made them targets in their home countries, she said.
Advocates traveled to the nation’s capital last week to commemorate the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Amnesty International reported documented cases of torture in more than 81 countries in 2007.
The needs of asylum-seekers differ from refugees, because they are forced to flee and don’t receive government assistance until after they receive asylum, which can take a couple of years, Hanscom said.
Founded in 1994, ASTT provides food, housing and medical assistance, counseling and other services for about 200 survivors from more than 43 countries such as Myanmar, Iraq, Cameroon and Ethiopia.
“Some have been at the wrong place at the wrong time at a country with a really oppressive government,” Hanscom said.
“Many more tend to be people that are activists that fought for democracy.”
smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
11:10 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 2, 2008 re: "Baltimore group offers support for torture and trauma survivors"
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11:10 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 2, 2008
re: "Baltimore group offers support for torture and trauma survivors"
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11:07 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 2, 2008
re: "Baltimore group offers support for torture and trauma survivors"
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Examiner Reader said:
As Anti-Torture Advocate said, we really should be learning more about organizations in our local area that deal with such important issues that involve those that are living in our community and worldwide. The issue of torture is barely talked about on a large scale rather than debating waterboarding alone. If you could, I would love to learn more about this organization, the work they do, and how I can help.
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Examiner Reader said:
As Anti-Torture Advocate said, we really should be learning more about organizations in our local area that deal with such important issues that involve those that are living in our community and worldwide. The issue of torture is barely talked about on a large scale rather than debating waterboarding alone. If you could, I would love to learn more about this organization, the work they do, and how I can help.
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Anti-Torture Advocate said:
I really enjoyed this article, but it seems like there is more to the story here. I think people would be greatly interested in seeing a more in-depth story on torture survivors in the Baltimore-Washington area and maybe even the healing that ASTT gives them.
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