The Medical Documentation of Torture

by Michael Peel, Vincent Iacopino

Overview

Until recently, almost all of the medical input to criminal and civil prosecutions relating to allegations of torture was from forensic pathologists investigating mass graves. It is now recognised, however, that witness evidence from those who survive atrocities can be supported by medical experts in documenting torture both immediately and many years after the event. As is patently evident from news coverage, the number of asylum seekers in the West fleeing persecution abroad has increased steadily and there is a real need to provide those involved in examining these individuals with a comprehensive reference source which will underpin the Istanbul Protocol and provide the academic background for bringing prosecutions against alleged torturers before the newly mandated International Criminal Court.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521117456
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/30/2009
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

1. The Problem of Torture James Welsh; 2. The Approach of International Tribunals to Medical Evidence in Cases Involving Allegations of Torture Camille Giffard and Sir Nigel Rodley; 3. Documenting a Well-Founded Fear: How Medical Caregivers Can Assist Torture Survivors in the Asylum Process? Barbara Frey; 4. Doctors and Torture Ann Somerville, Hernan Reyes and Michael Peel; 5. Visits to Prisoners and Documentation of Torture Hernan Reyes; 6. History Taking Vincent Iacopino; 7. The Psychological Consequences of Torture Kathleen Allden; 8. Physical Examination Following Allegations of Recent Torture Onder Ozkalipci; 9. Physical Examination for Late Signs of Torture Robert Kirschner and Michael Peel; 10. Examination Following Specific Forms of Torture Duncan Forrest; 11. The Sexual Abuse of Females Gill Hinshelwood; 12. Male Sexual Abuse in Detention Michael Peel; 13. The Examination and Investigation of Electric Shock Injuries Lis Danielsen; 14. Radiodiagnostic Approaches in the Documentation of Torture Semite Aytaclar and Veli Lok.

Editorial Reviews

4 Stars! from Doody

Reviewer: Nicholas Greco IV, MS, BCETS, CATSM, FAAETS (C3 Education and Research, Inc.)
Description: This book provides an excellent comprehensive reference source for clinicians treating victims of torture and provides the information needed to accurately document torture.
Purpose: The purpose of this book is to provide clinicians and lawyers with the tools they need to document torture in order to bring about both criminal and/or civil charges against individuals, groups, or organizations. Additionally, it will help these groups to provide verfication of allegations of torture and to appropriately document toruture to support individual claims. This is a worthy objective because of the considerable number of atrocities which occur and the number of claims for asylum. All of the contributing authors unquestionably meet their objectives.
Audience: This book is written for clinicians of psychology and medicine and those in the legal profession who work with victims of torture. However, I can see this book used in specialized training programs. The authors have considerable credibilty and are authorities in the field.
Features: This book is expertly written with specific explanations of the various forms of torture, the documentation needed by clinicians, the information on how to take a history and perform an examination, as well as the psychological consequences of torture. The level of detail in the writing and the appropriately selected pictures truly illustrate the trauma experienced by torture victims and the importance of trained individuals to handle such cases.
Assessment: This book is vivid, direct, and an eye-opener to many who may be unaware of the extent and aftermath of such acts. Having worked with a number of traumatized individuals over the years and as a member of the research community, I value such a reference. This book is a valuable resource to the field and I recommend it without reservation.

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