eligibility
ASTT offers services to people who have been tortured and who seek refuge in the United States. ASTT defines torture according to the United Nations definition of torture, which is as follows:
“any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include the pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in, or incidental to, lawful sanctions.”
If you think your experiences are consistent with this definition, call Maria at 410-464-9006 to see if the services ASTT offers may fit your needs.
ASTT has limited resources so currently cannot offer services to victims of domestic abuse, forced or arranged marriages, and female circumcision.