Our Clients
Continents of Origin
Our clients come from a wide array of ethnic and geographic backgrounds. The 545 clients seen in 2010, the majority (77%) where from Africa, but we also see asylum seekers and refugees from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Age & Gender Distribution
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Age Distribution & Gender Distribution
Our clients range in age from 18 to 80 years old.
In 2010, more than half (59%) of our clients were women.
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2010 Immigration Status
The difference between refugee and asylum seeker relates to when and where a person’s application to resettle in the United States take place. Refugees apply for processing in other countries before reaching the United States. Asylum seekers apply for processing in the United States after they have entered the country or are at the border. If asylum seekers are granted political asylum, they become asylees. Torture survivors might arrive under forms of immigration status that were necessary to get out of the country (i.e., visitor’s visa) and apply for political asylum once they are safely on U.S. soil.
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History of Torture
In 2010, more than 70% of our clients had a personal history of torture or have family members who have been tortured. Torture as defined by section 2340 (1) of title 18 United States Code, is an“act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control.”
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Prevalence of Sexual Violence Among Our Patients
Rape is increasingly being used as a strategic weapon during times of conflict to cause fear, shame, and demoralization of victims and members of the community, displacement in advance of enemy attack, manipulate cultural norms, encourage aggression, enhance brutality toward the enemy, incite revenge, and boost morale. [1]
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Prevalence of Sexual Violence Among Our Patients
The prevalence of sexual violence is difficult to document nationally and internationally, as issues with documentation involve lack of inclusion of women who were raped and killed, extrapolations from only one part of a country [2], difficulty discussing traumatic events, and shame and fear of divorce or being ostracized by one’s family or community [3].
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