TortureID

Who we are

TortureID is a medical human rights charity based in West Yorkshire responding to the needs of people who are seeking asylum in the UK and who report torture and other forms of human rights abuses.  We aim for everyone in this situation to have timely access to a free, health assessment that can identify and document the health consequences of abuse, and through this support their rehabilitation.  We are the only NGO in the UK providing this service.

Our culture and values

TortureID was founded in 2018 by a group of clinicians and lawyers who were working together in the asylum and human rights field.  They were all concerned by how few people seeking asylum in the UK who had experienced torture and other forms of human rights abuses were asked about their experiences, yet alone had the health consequences of their ill-treatment documented.  This lack of identification and documentation prevented survivors accessing health and social care services and from putting forward their full claims for protection too.  In the founders' view, this systemic failing, contributed to survivors' dehumanisation, by obstructing their right to rehabilitation, that is, having their human dignity restored and the ability to rebuild their lives.

Since its inception, TortureID has explored ways to deliver free, timely and effective health assessments to people seeking asylum who have experienced torture aand other forms of human rights abuses, documenting the clinical findings in concise medical reports to inform healthcare professionals, socialcare professionals and asylum decision-makers.  

TortureID has developed assessment tools and materials to support clinicians to conduct health assessments for survivors of human rights abuses in NHS settings, as well as providing training and mentoring.   

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

TortureID is committed to working in a fair and transparent manner, free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and to promoting equality, valuing diversity, being inclusive, and meeting our equality duties.  We will not discriminate on age; disability, gender reassignment; race/ethnicity; religion or belief; gender; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy; maternity. 

TortureID strives to engage survivors of torture and other forms of human rights abuses in all its work, and to engage people with lived experience of the UK asyulm system too.