Center for Victims of Torture
Encyclopedia
The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is a private, non-profit organization
headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota
that provides victims of politically motivated torture
with medical, psychological, and social services both in the Twin Cities
and abroad.
Founded in 1985, The Center for Victims of Torture was the first organization in the United States created specifically to provide specialized treatment for torture victims. Since its founding, the organization has taken on several roles in addition to treatment and social services (jointly referred to as "client services"). CVT now also runs international training programs for healthcare and human service workers who work with refugees, compiles information about the harmful effects of torture
on victims, and works with other non-profits such as New Tactics in Human Rights
in order to advocate domestic and international legislation against the practice of torture
worldwide.
Currently, the Center for Victims of Torture has two offices and healing centers in the Twin-Cities area, an office in Washington DC, and healing centers in Sierra Leone
, Liberia
, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Center for Victims of Torture is a 501(c)(3) organization that is recognized by the Charities Review Council, the American Institute of Philanthropy, and other organizations for its well-managed use of donations.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
that provides victims of politically motivated torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
with medical, psychological, and social services both in the Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
and abroad.
Founded in 1985, The Center for Victims of Torture was the first organization in the United States created specifically to provide specialized treatment for torture victims. Since its founding, the organization has taken on several roles in addition to treatment and social services (jointly referred to as "client services"). CVT now also runs international training programs for healthcare and human service workers who work with refugees, compiles information about the harmful effects of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
on victims, and works with other non-profits such as New Tactics in Human Rights
New Tactics in Human Rights
What is the New Tactics in Human Rights Project?Since 1999, the New Tactics in Human Rights project has created unique resources—organized around analysis of potential solutions rather than that of specific issues, geographic regions or target groups—that allow activists to clearly recognize the...
in order to advocate domestic and international legislation against the practice of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
worldwide.
Currently, the Center for Victims of Torture has two offices and healing centers in the Twin-Cities area, an office in Washington DC, and healing centers in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Center for Victims of Torture is a 501(c)(3) organization that is recognized by the Charities Review Council, the American Institute of Philanthropy, and other organizations for its well-managed use of donations.