FAQ

1. Who are the patients at the bzfo?

The Berlin Center for Torture Victims treats and cares for around 500 patients each year from about 50 different countries where they have been exposed to and experienced torture and war-related violence. These men, women, children and adolescents come from Chechnya, Turkey, Iran, Kosovo, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Guinea, among others. Due to their traumatic experiences, these individuals suffer from, e.g. chronic pain, uncontrollable memories, sleep disorders with nightmares, psychosomatic afflictions, disturbances in concentration and memory as well as depression.

2. How does the bzfo help patients?

In the treatment center, victims of torture and war-related violence are provided with general medical, psychiatric, psychotherapeutic care, as well as special psychotherapeutic services for children and adolescent . The basis of every treatment begins with psychodynamic psychotherapy and behavioural therapy. In addition, we offer group therapy, phsyiotherapy, music, art and gestalt therapies. Our Intercultural Healing Garden, sports and leisure acitivites for our patients complete our range of treatments. Our social workers provide support in questions of legal residency and asylum procedures, inform about language courses, educational, vocational and job opportunities and help patients managing their everyday life. Furthermore, the bzfo provides statements and case reports to support legal procedures of asylum rights recognition.

3. How is the bzfo organized?

The bzfo is organized into different departments. The out-patient department for adults, as well as the out-patient department for children and adolescents are the first points of contact for out patients. Men and women with severe symptoms may be admitted to the Day Clinic, which, together with the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy from the Charité Berlin (Mitte Campus) currently offers 12 places for patients. In 2007, the bzfo established a Housing Community Project especially for female victims, which includes supervised single apartments and a therapeutic housing community.

4. How do patients come to the bzfo?

Many of those persons who seek help at the bzfo are told about us from others who have already received treatment at the center. Many more find out about us through facilities for refugee assistance, through lawyers or through medical and psychotherapeutic colleagues outside of the bzfo.

5. Who works at the bzfo?

At the bzfo and the associated Center for Refugee Support and Migrant Services (zfm) there are about 60 employees from the areas of general medicine, psychiatry, psychotherapy, child and adolescent psychotherapy, social work, physiotherapy as well as creative therapies. They are additionally supported by the employees in our research department, administration, fundraising, public relations and our library, as well as freelance interpreters. Furthermore, interns and volunteers in all departments work together with us to support our patients.

6. Who is responsible for the costs of treatments?

According to the regulations of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Law (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz), the Social Security Statute Book (Sozialgesetzbuch) as well as the Child and Youth Services Act (Kinder- und Jugendhilfegesetz), the costs for treatment are not completely carried by the responsible ministries. Some patients are medically insured despite their legal status in Germany, but for most of the people who come to us for help there is no state-regulated funding available.

7. How does the bzfo finance its work?

The work at the bzfo is financed to about 50% from public funding from the United Nation (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights • OHCHR), the U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor), the European Union (European Refugee Fund • EFF, European Integration Fund • EIF, European Social Fund • ESF), the German Foreign Office, the Federal Ministries for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). Further support comes from the German Red Cross (DRK), as well as foundations (Hamburg Foundation for the Advancement of Knowledge and Culture, Dr. F. Samimi Foundation, Foundation Musik hilft and others), sponsors and numerous private donors.

8. What does the bzfo do with the donations it receives?

Most treatments take more time than financial provisions initially allow for, this is where donations can be put to good use for ongoing treatments. There are also fees for interpreters, social workers, as well as the supporting resource-oriented creative therapies that are for the most part financed through donations.

9. Where is the bzfo internationally engaged?

The bzfo has been involved in a number of projects over the last few years with Ukraine (Kiev) as well as in African states (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda). With financial support of the Federal Foreign Office in Germany, the European Union and the U.S Department of State (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour) treatment centers in Kirkuk, Sulaymaniyah and Erbil have been established in Iraq. In 2010 the bzfo founded the Chamchamal Center for traumatized children in close cooperation with the Kirkuk Center. Since June 2010 the Halabja Center for Victims of Chemical Attacks offers medical and psychological treatment for the victims of the poison gas attacks in 1988 with financial support of the Federal Foreign Office. Currently the bzfo is supporting the development of the Duhok Center for persecuted minorities.

From 2008 until 2010 the bzfo cooperated with the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Cambodia in a project on the survivors participation in the Khmer-Rouge-Tribunal.

10. How does the bzfo campaign against torture and war-related violence?

As an institution with a focus on therapy and human rights, the bzfo seeks regular contact with associations and organizations that work in the areas of refugee assistance and upholding human rights.

The center itself is politically neutral and only bound by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.