Treatment of torture survivors and their families: the nurse's function.

Torture has always existed. Whereas it was previously practiced publicly to warn citizens of a similar fate if they violated the law, today torture takes place mostly behind closed doors. The responsible authorities and governments deny its existence. And the survivors rarely talk about what they have been exposed to. Thus a wide misbelief as to the real extent of torture and the ensuing physical and psychological problems of the torture survivors who are in dire need of professional help. In keeping with ICN's concern for human rights and its emphasis on the ethical responsibilities of nurses, ICN requested the following article on torture and the nurse's role in the treatment of torture survivors and their families. It is hoped that it will stimulate discussion by nurses and be used as a basis for teaching about torture in nursing schools.