Foundation for Integral Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence (PRIVA)

In October 1996, health professionals with experience working with persons deprived of liberty, had observed that when people entered the Social Rehabilitation Centers in detention, they presented physical injuries and altered emotional state. Most of the them informed that the injuries had been produced in the processes of detention and police investigation, and they considered that torture and ill-treatment were part of the punishment they deserved for breaking the law. The group of professionals formed a work team to contribute to the treatment of victims of violence and torture, establishing the Foundation for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence (PRIVA), a non-profit non-governmental organization, recognized by Ministerial Agreement 0165 of the Ministry of Social Welfare on April 4, 1997. It is the purpose of the Foundation, to promote the eradication of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in the country and to contribute to the comprehensive rehabilitation of victims and their families, through sensitization and awareness-raising activities, training of different social actors in both governmental and non-governmental sectors, contribute to the provision of services to victims and their families, as well as the dissemination of knowledge and experiences at a national and international level, design and execution of scientific studies and research on this subject, among others. During the last 24 years, PRIVA has developed rehabilitation activities for victims of torture in prison and has contributed to the eradication of torture through prevention activities and training for social actors linked to Criminal Justice, the media, leaders and grassroots social organizations, medical professionals, psychologists, lawyers, social workers, and university students. PRIVA has also produced tools to improve the practices of professionals through increasing their skills and the development of manuals and tools.