The Survivor - Freedom from Torture

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Freedom from Torture

The Survivor The newsletter for Freedom from Torture supporters

Issue 53 | Autumn 2012

Learning to trust againThe long journey back to recovery

Indesign Octnewsletter.indd 1 12/10/2012 17:41

Issue 53 Autumn 2012

www.freedomfromtorture.org/helping_us/appeal/6253

Update // Emergency Fundraising Appeal Freedom from Torture pays its respects to anincredible Chair of Trustees

In April we sent an emergency appeal to many of you.

The response to the appeal by our deadline was better than we had expected. We are immensely grateful to everyone who made donations and to all our supporters.

The economic environment in which we operate remains difficult, and our services remain under a great deal of pressure. Other organisations who support our client group have suffered and in some cases ceased to operate.

We will still need the help of our supporters in the future, but this appeal has been a real boost. These funds will help to give stability to our service provision, and help to avoid our reserves become dangerously low.

We are not a large charity and we rely on individual donors for the vast majority of our income so when things get tough we have to turn to our loyal supporters for help. On behalf of all the clients and staff of Freedom from Torture thank you all once again for your generosity.

CONTENTS //

03. Survivor’s Voice/ 04. Learning to trust again/ A gift of hope06. Supporting Freedom from Torture08. News

10. Short story competition winner/ First impressions

12. Dates for your diary/ How to order Christmas cards

For more information about Freedom from Torture please write to 111 Isledon Road, London

N7 7JW, call 020 7697 7788 or visit www.freedomfromtorture.org

Registered charity number: 1000340Registered charity number in Scotland: SC039632

This newsletter is printed on recycled paper and wrapped in biodegradable plastic.

Freedom from Torture (formerly known as the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture) is the only national organisation in the UK dedicated solely to the treatment of survivors of torture.

The effects of torture continue long after someone has escaped their torturers; survivors often suffer from chronic pain, anxiety, flashbacks and an inability to trust.

We have five centres where we offer psychiatry, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, counselling, complementary therapies and support with housing and welfare. We also speak out alongside survivors to raise awareness and influence decision makers.

www.freedomfromtorture.org/ helping_us/appeal/6253

Update // Emergency Fundraising Appeal

It is with a deep sense of sadness that Freedom from Torture reflects on the untimely death on 31 July of Alison Wetherfield, the organisation’s indefatigable and outstanding Chair of Trustees.

Alison served on Freedom from Torture’s Board of Trustees for eight years, as Chair since January 2008, expertly steering the organisation with skill and compassion. She was a partner at law firm McDermott, Will and Emery.

Keith Best, Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture remembers Alison’s contribution:

‘Alison meant so much to so many people. Her warm, engaging and caring personality coupled with her brilliant intellect marked her out as someone special and so appropriate to lead our charity, to which she devoted so much of her time and effort, as Chair of Trustees. Her infectious enthusiasm and dynamism for ensuring that Freedom from Torture is fit for purpose was also wholly survivor-orientated. That is why we all loved her – staff, volunteers, fellow trustees and the torture survivors with whom we work.’

Freedom from Torture pays its respects to an incredible Chair of Trustees

We are a registered charity, 95% of our resources come from voluntary donations.

Whilst all client stories featured in this publication are real, where necessary, names have been changed and images posed by models to ensure anonymity.




03

SURVIVOR’S VOICE // UPDATE //

The Second Torture by John, from our North East centre

John is a torture survivor supported by Freedom from Torture in the North East. He has been in the UK

for a number of years but was refused asylum earlier this year. In his poem, John describes the trauma of navigating the asylum process.

You live like you don’t live.Every minute is precious.You don’t know what will happen next.

You feel like you are in prison, of mind and soul.You are free, but you don’t know.

They will come and take you.Or not.You start feeling, maybe it is me

More worries than hope.

Worry is solid like rock.You can not wash it away.

Hope is just like dust. Some people give you hope.Your hand is full of hope.

It goes between your fingers.The wind can blow it away fast.Your hand is empty

His work ‘The Second Torture’ was read by author Anna Raverat at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2012 as part of Amnesty International’s Imprisoned Writers Series. Commenting on her involvement at the event, Anna said: ‘Writing really is a matter if life and death for some, more than others.’

View a video of the reading (and read more poems) at

www.freedomfromtorture.org/feature/finding_a_voice/documentary

Thank you to the Edinburgh Supporter Group for their help in organising the event including: main organiser and event chair Moira Dunworth, supported by Sally Mcpherson on publicity; party hosts Sarah Sandow, and Mike and Ann Ivy..

I t is an event that so very few survivors of torture will see in their lifetime: the opportunity to give evidence in a trial of

their torturers.It is exactly what

Freedom from Torture’s Caseworker Counsellor Perico Rodriguéz faced in July this year, when he gave evidence in Argentina in the trial of several members of the Military Junta which ruled the country in the 1970s when thousands of people were killed, tortured and “disappeared”.

Perico, then a town clerk in Cinco Saltos, Patagonia, was himself imprisoned and tortured for three years following the 1976 military coup led by General Jorge Videla.

Decades after his release, Perico’s continuing search for justice is an inspiration to other activists and survivors fighting torture around the world. During the trial, Perico has received a great deal of support from members of the public and the families of other victims, significant media interest and has been awarded the Freedom of the City of Neuquén.

“This is an important moment to mark and pay tribute to Perico’s resilience, courage and humanity: to have gone through what he did and still been able to devote his life to helping so many other survivors of torture, and then to be able to go back to Argentina and give evidence against those accused of responsibility for the repression is an immense achievement and an example to us all,” remarked Andy Keefe, Freedom from Torture’s Director of Clinical Services.

Speaking in London before he travelled to give evidence to the Tribunal Oral Federal de Neuquén, Perico Rodriguéz said:

“I think often of the prisoners with whom I was held. I remember two women being brought into a place where we were being detained, known as ‘the little school’ – we were all blindfolded and chained to bunkbeds so we couldn’t see each or touch each other. One of the women was incredibly upset, crying. I told her that she must have faith and stay strong, I gave a speech – of course I was beaten when the guards returned and heard me talking, but maintaining solidarity with each other – keeping each other going – was so important.”

Read more at:

www.freedomfromtorture.org/feature/news_feature/6489

Justice at lastCaseworker Counsellor Perico Rodriguez gives evidence in Argentinian torture trial



How does torture affect our clients? It’s a sad question. In my experience of working at Freedom from Torture

for 21 years, every single client we see has some form of mental health problem – some form of trauma – as a result of torture. Many clients have problems sleeping and have nightmares and flashbacks.

Fear is also very common. It can be abstract – ‘In the darkness, I’m afraid’ – or specific, such as hearing police sirens or seeing a person who reminds them of their torturer. You can really understand their intense fear.

Torture kills a person’s trust in other people. The survivors that we see can come to believe that if one person can do such harm to them, then no one can be trusted.

Our work, our mission

How do we address this? The therapy that we offer aims to break the mistrust to start with. This trusting therapeutic relationship can then transfer to the relationships that the client has in the outside world.

We, as clinicians, build trust by ‘being there’ – physically – in the counselling room. We are there no matter what they tell us or how embarrassed they might be. We stay with them and with their pain. We provide a ‘safe space’ that they can come back to and work through the impact of their torture. Many clients say that they cannot even talk to the people closest to them (if they even have anyone close in their lives in the UK). Some forms of torture, such as sexual violence, carry a stigma which can make clients feel a sense of shame. Trust takes time to develop. It’s about being there steadily in someone’s life.

A lot of rape victims, for example, feel ashamed about what has been done to them. They feel other people think that they are ‘dirty’ now. It’s a long-term struggle to bring back their self-worth and confidence.

The people we work with

At Freedom from Torture, we care for the most complex, vulnerable survivors of torture and organised violence. We do not have the capacity to see everyone who comes to us for support. The team that I manage in the London centre alone works with around 150 clients (at any given time).

I really admire our clients, everyone at Freedom from Torture does. I’m not sure if I could survive what they have been through. They are vulnerable, but therapy helps bring

back the resilience that they possess but have forgotten is there. There are weeks and weeks when a client will look at the floor, avoiding eye contact, and then, one day, they look up at you and smile. This would represent a turning point in their therapy. It’s very rewarding to see that.

Challenges in the UK

There are also setbacks, which make the work challenging and slow. A client may be doing well and then their asylum application is refused. It’s a huge step back. We try to enable them to look forward, but when a client has not secured sanctuary in the UK, there is a very real danger that they could be returned to face further torture.

The conditions in which survivors live in the UK also impacts on their ability to recover. Our clients often experience living in poverty or become destitute; many live in inadequate housing or are homeless. They cannot focus on their rehabilitation if they can’t afford to eat.

Money is a big worry for most of the people we see. One of my clients is an 18-year-old college student. He has no money to put in his electricity meter so cannot study in the evening – but he kept this to himself, too ashamed to ask for help, and didn’t even tell his brother. These feelings of isolation are common.

The future

It’s vital for clients to know that someone is there for support and that people care about them. It aids their healing and transforms their relationship with other people. You start to see the change in them.

Each client’s story affects you. As counsellors, we are not machines and we often feel angry on their behalf. How could people subject others to such awful treatment? It makes us determined to denounce torture in all its forms, by showing the brutal reality of how it ruins lives.

My reason for working at Freedom from Torture? To help survivors of torture to rectify what torturers have sought to destroy.

Funda has recently written to many of our supporters

about the devastating impact of poverty and destitution – impeding the path to recovery for many of our most vulnerable clients. You can find details of this appeal at

www.freedomfromtorture.org/ povertyappeal

FEATURES //

Learning to trust againSenior Counsellor and Adult Therapy team manager Funda Kansu talks here about her work with torture survivors




05

A gift of hope from Elise (Lisl) Steiner

Lisl Steiner was born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1923. With the help of her uncle she left Austria in 1938,

a school girl of 15, to emigrate to the UK and the promise of a safer future. She left behind her parents and younger brother.

She was given permission to reside in the UK and was enrolled in Granville College in Southampton. Lisl settled in well and when, during the Christmas holiday, she need somewhere to stay, the Refugee Committee placed her with the Holland family.

Lisl quickly became ‘one of the family’ and so began an enduring relationship that lasted all her life

The Hollands had offered to host a refugee after their daughter had heard at school about the horrors unfolding in German occupied Austria. Lisl quickly became ‘one of the family’ and so began an enduring relationship that lasted all her life.

After the war Lisl began what was to be an illustrious and influential career in child development. She trained at the University of London and went on to work in the University of Leeds Institute of Education and later at Goldsmiths College, London, where she was instrumental in developing the Department of Early Childhood Education in the early 1970’s. She continued to work there until she retired in 1984.

Saying goodbye to her family at the train station in 1938 was the last time Lisl would see them. Her parents and brother were transported from Vienna to the ghetto in Kovno in 1941 and were killed within a week of their arrival. Between 1938 and 1940 Lisl and her family kept up written correspondence which powerfully documents their efforts to maintain hopes and aspirations against a backdrop of the dramatically worsening situation in Vienna.

We were honoured that Lisl left a generous legacy to us in her will

In later years Lisl placed these letters with the Wiener Library in London for safe keeping, to add to the emotional and powerful history of the Holocaust. Lisl did not learn of the fate of her family until she was in her 80s, up until then she had feared they had been separated. It came as some comfort to know that they had been together when they had died.

Lisl first supported Freedom from Torture in 1991 after hearing about our work on the radio. She became a generous and committed donor who took an active interest in our work with torture survivors.

When Lisl died, aged 87, we were honoured to learn that she had chosen to further demonstrate her commitment to the rehabilitation of torture survivors by leaving a generous legacy to Freedom from Torture in her Will.

In light of Lisl’s personal experience, her forced emigration and the subjugation and murder of her family, her legacy is especially poignant. It offers a future of hope and freedom.

We are very grateful for Lisl’s generosity and would also like to extend our thanks to the Executors of her Will for their assistance in releasing Lisl’s legacy to us.

Legacies are a crucial part of our funding, accounting for 13 per cent of the total income we receive each year

Legacies are a crucial part of our funding, accounting for on average 13 per cent of the total income we receive each year. If you are writing or updating your Will in the near future please think about including the gift of healing for torture survivors by remembering Freedom from Torture.

For more information about supporting us in your Will please call Rebecca on 020 7697 7814 or email at [email protected]

Lisl Steiner during her school days in the garden of her ‘adopted’ family home in England



Freedom from Torture are delighted to announce our first ever Music Festival

This December, leading musicians are uniting against torture and organised violence for International Human Rights Day 2012 in a series of exciting concerts in London and Manchester

International Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on December 10. Especially over the last two years, the importance of human rights activism has been evident around the world as millions of people have demanded that their human rights are recognised, often in the face of violence, repression and persecution.

Join us as musicians come together to take a stand against torture, raising awareness and funds for Freedom from Torture, while celebrating the timeless power and importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We can’t wait to see you and your friends there. We were finalising music acts and venues at the time of going to print and we are excited to be sharing the line-up with you soon.

Contact Marika at [email protected] and check out the line-up at

www.freedomfromtorture.org/music

Make a stir for survivors

Are you a pro in the kitchen? Fancy showing off your talents and raising some funds for Freedom from Torture in the process? We have put together materials for supporters who would like to host an evening in their home for a great cause. It’s easy and fun, so give it a go.

www.freedomfromtorture.org/homemade

A peek inside Freedom from Torture: in Birmingham and Manchester

To mark Refugee Week 2012’s celebration of refugee contributions to the UK, Freedom from Torture opened its doors in the North West and West Midlands centres, to showcase the expert therapeutic, legal and practical work with survivors of torture.

On Friday 22 June, the West Midlands centre in Birmingham hosted a packed day, including a stunning art exhibition from Freedom from Torture client Hasan. A huge thank you to clients who shared their experiences and to the supporters who came along to hear their presentations,

as well as from clients, staff and volunteers. We are very grateful for donations towards our new Child and Family Therapy Room.

More than 25 supporters joined the North West team to learn more about the centre’s clinical work, training and capacity building, Medico-Legal Report (MLR) service and new Children, Family and Separated Young Persons service. Five clients read their own poems at the close of the evening, which was moving and extremely powerful.

Could you help raise £20,000?

Freedom from Torture supporters in the North West helped us to raise over £14,000 this year at the Manchester Marathon and BUPA Great Manchester Run (10k). Thank you everyone – and also to Panasonic runners ‘Team Toughbook’ who raised over £3,000 at the Macclesfield Half Marathon on Sunday 30 September 2012.

In 2013 we hope to raise even more money to support survivors of torture accessing care at our North West centre. Join us for the Liverpool Half Marathon (17 March), the Wilmslow Half (24 March), the Manchester Marathon (28 April) and the BUPA Great Manchester Run (10k, 26 May). Please contact Alice at [email protected] or on 0161 236 5744 for more information.

The latest from the North West

The North West centre has been very busy developing the new Children, Family and Separated Young Persons service. And for the second year running, the team attended Manchester’s Pride Festival 2012, and enjoyed the Supporter Dinner at Dandelion & Burdock restaurant in Sowerby Bridge (thanks to Dave and the D&B team)

Interested in joining a local supporters’ group in the Calderdale area? Please contact Alice for details.

Small change can make a big difference

Support survivors of torture from the comfort of your home with a small change collection box. Get in touch with us at [email protected] or call 020 7697 7788 to leave your details with our fundraising team.

Your views on challenge events

From cycling to international treks, we offer supporters a wide range of sponsored events. Do you have an event in mind which isn’t listed? Let us know – we really value your input and will do our best to support you. Send your ideas to Mandy at [email protected]

FUNDRAISING //

Supporting Freedom from Torture




07

Paris in their sights

If anyone needed persuading that they are sporting enough to take on a charity challenge, ‘Team Victoria’ – or to quote their own team name ‘Four unfit fat blokes cycle to France’ – might just be that inspiration.

Freedom from Torture supporter and celebrity chef Paul Merrett led teammates Charlie, Malek and Greg on a four-day adventure from London to Paris by bike. The chefs, who work at The Victoria restaurant in Richmond, London, raised a whopping £8,196 on this fantastic adventure.

Read their hilarious tale of Steak Frit, beer, back-to-front shorts – and musings on why the undulating ‘Downs’ was ever named as such – in our special feature

www.freedomfromtorture.org/TeamVictoria

A new resource for faith groups

Thank you to all the individuals and groups that have been in contact about Freedom from Torture’s faith pack which contains useful information and suggested readings. Faith groups are a hugely important part of the Freedom from Torture network of supporters. Help spread the word and collect funds on our behalf. You can request a copy by contacting Mandy on 020 7697 7761 or at [email protected]

Ethical banking with Triodos

Over the last year our partnership with Triodos Bank has flourished. Thank you to everyone who has supported Freedom from Torture by opening a Triodos account, which enables the charity to receive a £40 donation. We’re delighted that the partnership will be extended in 2013.

Triodos Bank only finances organisations that bring lasting positive change – and has a commitment to transparency.

Visit www.triodos.co.uk/freedom for info on opening an ethical savings account – and help torture survivors via a £40 donation to Freedom from Torture.

Triodos Bank is also offering Depository Receipts – which have delivered a return of 4.4% on investment – and for which Freedom from Torture also receive a £40 donation.

www.triodos.co.uk/DRfreedom

Olympic achievements

Supporter and treasurer of our Oxford Supporters Group John Hume most definitely deserves a gold medal after organising an incredibly successful Olympic-themed sponsored walk from the Olympic Park in Stratford to our London centre near Finsbury Park. Everyone who took part in the walk was full of praise for John’s fantastic organisation and a wonderful day which culminated in a tour of our building and beautiful Natural Growth Project

garden. The walk raised a fantastic £1,777.50! Thank you very much to everyone who took part.

Our Hampstead and Highgate Supporters Group has also had an amazing year: from supporter Rowena Harding’s three sponsored runs and a beautiful Spring community choir concert to a literary evening with Sir Andrew Motion and Alan Hollinghurst attended by two London Mayors in the summer. The group has raised close to £5,000 in 2012.

Please contact Sabine at [email protected] to find out about groups in your local area.

Congratulations to Spring 2012 raffle winners

1st prize (£1,000): Joan M Pippet – ticket number 277554 2nd prize (£250): Ms M Burgui-Artajo – ticket number 1944113rd prize (£100): Ms L N Ramsden – ticket number 342030

We extend a very warm thank you to Miss Pippet who donated her £1,000 winnings to Freedom from Torture.

Expressing our thanks

After its success in 2011, our Manchester Supporters’ Group organised another fantastic Open Garden event. On 24 June 2012, over 550 supporters visited 25 yards and gardens, two allotments and a ‘green roof’ in Chorlton, Manchester, enjoying a choir, jazz band and a cellist, a raffle, plant pottery, art sales, refreshments and a BBQ.

Over a thousand visitors bought programmes and the event raised a staggering £6,677. We are hugely grateful to everyone who contributed to this success. Fancy entering your garden to be part of next year’s Open Gardens on 23 June 2013? Visit

www.chorltonopengardens.org.uk

Over at the Lancaster & South Lakes Supporters’ group, supporter Phil Gordon cycled the Way of Roses (170 miles) from Morecambe to Bridlington in three-and-a-half days to celebrate his 65th birthday. Phil raised £1,000 for our work. Thank you to Phil - and to all his sponsors - for this incredible achievement.

Finally, a thank you and warm welcome to the Glasgow Supporter Group’s two new committee members Magdalen Macinnes and Jim McGrath.

Sad news

We were greatly saddened to learn that our long-standing supporter and former Chair of the Suffolk local group Colin Harbury passed away in September aged 89. During his time as Chair, the group raised over £15,000 for our work. Amongst many other successes Colin oversaw two fantastic concerts at the famous Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds. Our thoughts go to Colin’s family and friends at this difficult time.



NEWS //

Survivor activism/Growing confidence through football

Over the last few months the Survivors Speak OUT (SSO) network – made up of former

Freedom from Torture clients – has continued its important work of actively speaking out and educating others about the impact of torture, as well as looking to influence policy-makers and campaigning publically for the rights of survivors worldwide.

Just this month, SSO was invited by the Foreign Secretary to join the panel of an event at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham; whilst a few months’ earlier SSO members hosted the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture – who is a survivor himself – when he visited Freedom from Torture’s London centre.

Following a personal invitation from the Foreign Secretary, William Hague MP, Survivors Speak OUT network Coordinator, Kolbassia Haoussou, took his place alongside a panel of other expert speakers (including the Foreign

Secretary himself), to highlight the power that survivors of sexual violence and other forms of torture can gain through speaking about their experiences, as well as the difficulties of doing so.

The fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference was designed to raise awareness of sexual violence in conflict and to discuss a new Foreign & Commonwealth Office initiative, committing Britain’s premiership as G8 chair next year to improving responses to these crimes. Following a compelling film of another SSO member, Ruth, speaking about her own experiences of sexual violence, Kolbassia offered the audience a unique, powerful and personal insight into the barriers to disclosure he experienced upon his arrival in the UK and his reasons for setting up SSO.

“Our aim when we set up SSO was to speak for those survivors who were silenced – either by their external oppressors or by their own trauma. Today, we fight for the rights of survivors of sexual violence and other forms of torture worldwide and educate people on what it means to be a survivor of torture trying to live today in the UK.”

Whilst acknowledging that the perpetrators of sexual violence and other forms of torture will only be held accountable for their crimes if the survivors of these acts speak out, and saluting the Foreign Secretary’s push for more prosecutions and better evidence to support them, Kolbassia also carefully detailed the necessary safeguards such an initiative would have to put in place if it were to be successful.

“What is needed is to build on the expertise of organisations like Freedom from Torture and their work with survivors of sexual violence, to develop practical ways to ensure survivors feel confident and safe to speak out. There is real danger of re-traumatisation and many police, lawyers, doctors and psychologists in the UK still have much to learn about when working sensitively with survivors.”

“Our aim when we set up SSO was to speak for those who were silenced – either by oppressors or by their own trauma.” - Kolbassia Haossou

As well as stressing the need for training, protection for those giving testimony, and greater gender, cultural and linguistic awareness and sensitivity, Kolbassia also called for legal reform and public education in those countries where rape often stigmatises the victim more than the perpetrator.

Earlier, in July, Freedom from Torture was honoured to host a visit from the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Juan Mendéz.

Network Co-ordinator Kolbassia (r) joins Foreign Secretary William Hague at the Conservative Party Conference.




09

A world renowned legal academic in the field of human rights law and a torture survivor himself, this was a unique opportunity for SSO to explain their work to one of the most influential supporters of survivor rights in the world.

In an engrossing encounter members of the network presented the roots, structure and achievements of the network – why SSO was formed, its aims, some of the challenges it has faced and what it has already achieved. The message was clear: survivors’ experiences of torture mean network members are well placed to educate and campaign around issues of torture and the right to rehabilitation for survivors. Moreover, the survivor-led approach works.

Clearly impressed, Professor Mendéz noted:“I am very impressed with what you have accomplished

already and what you are planning to do. When I started my role as Special Rapporteur I highlighted that I was the first survivor of torture to occupy the position. I said I would apply a victim-centred approach in my mandate and it is important for me to be in touch with survivor of torture groups like SSO because it reminds me that there needs to be more meaning put into the wider concept.

“I am very impressed with what you have accomplished already and what you are planning to do” - Professor Juan Mendéz

For the members themselves, as Serge-Eric noted, this was also a watershed moment:

“Meeting the Special Rapporteur was a very important step forward for the SSO network. It gave us a clear platform to present our work and a vital opportunity to influence a key decision maker, establish ourselves as a clear example of the survivor centric approach the Special Rapporteur stressed in his mandate, and to develop national and international collaborations with the UN and other survivor organisations. More than anything, the meeting empowered all the SSO members involved and, for many, this was another important step forward in their lives.”

SSO members presented Professor Mendéz with a certificate showing his status as an honorary member of the network (see photo).

Reflecting on the day, Serge-Eric, added:“Personally, this meeting was an occasion to rebuild

myself and it made me realise that the potential I thought I had lost as a result of my suffering is slowly coming back into place. I am even more determined to make a difference working with the SSO – getting my voice to others – than I was before.”

Football Therapy

A joint project between Freedom from Torture and Arsenal Football Club which uses football as a therapeutic

tool is enjoying great success after only six months.

The Football Activity Group, which started in March, is run by Arsenal in the Community and Freedom from Torture’s group therapist, Selcuk Berilgen.

A core group of between 10 and 15 clients from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Sierra Leone, Iran, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan and Eritrea meet once a week for football training in Elthorne Park, Islington.

Selcuk said: “It’s been really good. The change has been visible from the word go. The group is supportive of one another – there are partnerships, friendships, team work and togetherness. Football helps in multiple ways – it’s great exercise, it’s healthy, they say they’re sleeping better, and the confidence in the body, for torture survivors, positively affects the mind too.

“Football is a simple game but it works wonders. Clinicians say the change is enormous. Their confidence has grown, they have a better outlook on life, some have even moved on to college and to do English courses.

“The involvement of Arsenal gives the clients another form of belonging and acceptance in this country – it’s been very successful.”

Professor Mendéz receives his honorary membership certificate from SSO members.



Freedom From Torture Short Story Competition

Freedom from Torture’s Short Story competition ‘on resilience and vulnerability’ received a fantastic response from supporters. Thank you to everyone who took part. The standard of entries was very high.

The winning entry ‘London Plane’ by Jocelyn Watson was selected by judges the award-winning author Helen Simpson and Vintage Publishing editor Victoria Murray-Browne, who said of the entry:

‘It stood out for its delicacy, authenticity and understated skill – the idea of resilience and renewal is beautifully evoked through the natural world, the trees that slowly draw the narrator out of silence and alienation, providing a tentative new language, a path to human exchange and, finally, trust.’

London Plane by Jocelyn Watson

Sycamore, Poplar, Oak; it has taken me weeks to remember their names but I can now. London Plane is the tree I like best with its spiky round brown nuts dangling from its branches; it reminds me where I am and who I am.

*Repeat, repeat, repeat. They refuse to understand. But I

have no choice. The questions they ask me. I look at their

faces and though they think I can’t see; I can. How many times? I can’t count. England; I thought it would be different here, but just like Karachi; always the same look; they don’t believe me.

*The first week I was in London, I only went out to the

shop to buy milk, dhal, rice and bananas. When I came home, I sat by the window, looking out at the small park, surrounded by tall trees with emerald green grass in the centre and watched the rain and cried; how I cried.

*I don’t know why and how that morning, in my second

week, I was able to walk out the door and instead of turning left, I went right, and right again into the park. There was no call to pray; just birds singing. Perhaps that helped me. When I got into the park there was no one there. I walked past the trees: strong, thick, brown, red, grey almost black; chopped branches; knotted, chipped, flaking bark; jade green leaves and tiny flowers at their bases: white, yellow, purple. As I looked across I became frightened. Someone was walking towards me. But then I saw it was an English woman with two small dogs, fluffy and white as though they had just had a bath.

‘Good morning,’ she said and before I could open my mouth she and her dogs were gone.

*The next morning I wasn’t sure; all I could see were

heavy, grey clouds raining down; by seven o’clock I decided

FUNDRAISING //

Getting involved




it was too late; there would be too many people.*

On the third morning the sky reminded me of the bright blue dupattas Razia and I wore at St Joseph’s before Senior Fikree confiscated them. Thinking of those crazy times in Karachi I smiled, as I walked out of the house. When I entered the park it was light but earlier than before so the woman and her dogs hadn’t come yet. There was no one there so I walked slowly round the park looking at the trees, tapping them as though I knew them which I didn’t then. As soon as I saw someone enter the park I walked quickly home.

On my fourth day the singing was joyful, as though the birds were teasing me. That was how I learnt to go out. I kept my head down if there were any men there but I didn’t mind to say good morning to the women.

*By my third week I was less frightened and sleeping

better. My new friends woke me at six and they welcomed me like the St Patrick’s Cathedral choir.

*Every day I see women’s faces: old, young, brown, red,

dark, light just like the barks of the trees; English, Chinese, Turkish, African.

One morning a young woman stopped me and said, ‘isn’t this just wonderful.’

I didn’t understand why she stopped me. But it was true for seven days it had been raining.

‘Yes.’‘We’ve been waiting for this for so long it’s like waiting to

eat the food you’ve been cooking. You’re lips, your mouth, your stomach are ready but you just have to wait.’

She made me laugh.‘I’m from Newcastle and my mate told me it’s raining

‘cats and dogs’ there.I laughed so loud I think she thought I was stupid.‘So sorry,’ I said quickly; I wasn’t making fun of her. ‘In

Pakistan it’s too hot now.’‘That’s the trouble too hot or too cold. We’re never

satisfied but today is lovely.’She was right; it was a golden day.‘Shall we walk a bit?’‘Oh.’ I didn’t know what to say.We walked and she talked. She likes talking; taller than I

am with long, wavy, black hair like me, big bright eyes and a round face. I just listened. She asked me if I knew about trees.

‘In Karachi we don’t have such large trees. There are kathal, faalsa and cheeko but they are small.

‘I don’t know about that lot but what about all these? she said, pointing to the proud, old trees round the park.

‘No.’‘That’s a horse chestnut, a poplar, a cherry tree, a

sycamore…’‘So many names.’‘Tell you what? I’ll teach you a tree a day. What d’you

think?’‘Ok.’

*So each day we meet. Besides the trees I’m learning

about Newcastle and La Sagesse the school she went to and she is learning about St Joseph’s and Karachi.

*She taught me about the flowers as small as a paisa:

white cow parsley, purple thistle, yellow buttercups. By the time the summer days came, I began to look forward to walking with Rachel. I wasn’t frightened and told her. She didn’t ask me any questions. She told me about her family, her job working in the park café, her

boyfriend, her girlfriends, and her dreams of travelling. I told her about the police, the torture, the rape; how I came to England alone knowing no one, how they wanted me to tell them over and over again what happened and how each time it pained me; and now that I was safe, Mama can continue her work without fear.

‘Your Mother sounds a brave woman.’‘I miss her.’‘It must be hard.’‘Very hard. She spoke to Senior Fikree, my old

Headmistress and she got me out.’Over the months I told Rachel everything.

*‘Smell this.’‘It’s sweet.’‘Lavender…The summer’s ending soon.’‘Is that very bad?’‘Does it snow in Karachi?’‘No, never.’‘Then you’re in for a treat.’

Read the runner-up entry ‘Days in July’ by Gillian Bargery and her blog at: www.freedomfromtorture.org/ news-blogs/6576

First impressionsFreedom from Torture welcomes Fundraising Director

Tony Samuel to the organisationThree months have passed now since I joined the charity.

At this stage, I find myself taking time to reflect, not just on what I have learnt, but about what our work stands for.

In my first days at Freedom from Torture, I had a sense that I hadn’t only joined an organisation, but a collection of people who had joined together in a quiet determination that we are not prepared to let torturers have the last word. I have been encouraged and inspired by the incredible loyalty and commitment shown by people from all walks of life – from supporters to staff and volunteers – which enables us to welcome survivors, to listen to them, to provide care and support, to be part of a new family, if you like, and to help them to trust other people once again.

It’s been my own privilege to see how this approach helps enable survivors to regain their dignity, their confidence and a sense of themselves – to ‘come out of the darkness’ as one survivor called Jackson put it. Although it’s a long and difficult path, the success stories – of university, new families and brighter futures – spur us all on. May I thank you too for being part of that journey.

11


I Fagiolini in concert at Stone House (281 Lewisham Way, London SE4 1XF) 9 November 2012 , Time TBCThe British solo-voice ensemble specialising in Renaissance and contemporary music is the only early music ensemble ever to be awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Ensemble Prize. They will be performing at one of Lewisham’s oldest and most distinctive buildings.

www.freedomfromtorture.org/events/6594

Quiz Night in Kew (St Luke’s Community Centre, The Avenue, Kew, TW9 2AJ)24 November 2012, Time TBCThis popular annual quiz night in Kew celebrates its 10th anniversary. The fun, brain-teasing competition is a real institution in the local area. Book early to secure entry.


Christmas Concert for Human Rights (Carrs Lane Church Centre, Carrs Lane, Birmingham B4 7SX)15 December 2012, 11amJoin Freedom from Torture’s Heart of England Supporters’ Group and Amnesty International for a joyous celebration of human rights. An annual highlight of the festive season in Birmingham the concert will feature a variety of individual artists, musicians and poems.


Brighton Marathon 14 April 2013 (limited places)Take in panoramic views of the English Channel and glimpse the South Downs. Get in touch to find out more.

Inspired by Paul Merrett and Team Victoria? Get in touch about London to Paris cycle rides in 2013. At the time of going to print we had a few places for the Paris and Berlin Marathons. Email Mandy at [email protected] to register your interest.

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Christmas cardsWe have a selection of beautiful designs. All profits go towards our work with torture survivors – and the cards help raise awareness of our work.

Each pack contains 10 cards and envelopes and all packs carry the message ‘Season’s Greetings’

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Documents

The Survivor - Freedom from Torture