The use of torture and politically motivated violence by Iraqi insurgents, security forces, and police against both political and criminal detainees approached pre-war levels by 2006 and remains common today. Although torture is most frequent in cities and regions afflicted by sectarian conflict, its use persists even in areas of the country that are experiencing relative stability. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are severely traumatized from torture, kidnappings, bombings, and other forms of violence. The consequences of violence affect nearly every aspect of Iraqi life, touching family members of the disappeared and traumatized as well as the victims themselves also suffer from mental health consequences of repression and war. Torture survivors in Iraq are of all ages, educational levels, ethnic affiliations and political opinions. Torture and other severe trauma rendered many Iraqis disabled with profound physical and psychological injuries, impeding the survivors' ability to function in daily life. 

The persistence of torture in Iraq is partially a consequence of continued civil strife, and partially a consequence of the breakdown of law enforcement and administrative oversight. Children, too, are often victims of the weaknesses in the Iraqi national and regional criminal justice systems. The number of children in detention, the length of pre-trial detention, and the lack of access to legal counsel or due process of law are recognized as serious problems by UNICEF, the United States Government, and most Iraqis.

Summary

The Trauma Rehabilitation & Training Center (TRTC) in Sulaimaniya, Iraq, provides comprehensive services to survivors of torture and trauma due to human rights violations. TRTC provides confidential psychosocial, psychiatric, medical, and case management services by qualified staff from a trauma-informed approach. TRTC staff also supervise and monitor a network of community mental health workers trained by Heartland Alliance who are located throughout rural Iraq. In addition, TRTC provides opportunities for training and technical assistance on trauma-informed care to health care professionals and social workers through rotations and internships.

A related component of this project involves expanding legal services for pre-trial minors in the Iraqi criminal justice system, thereby increasing the use of alternatives to detention, and developing the Ministry of Labor and Social Affair's (MoLSA) capability to provide supervised release as an alternative to lengthy incarceration of minors.

Activities

In 2008 Heartland Alliance opened the Trauma Rehabilitation & Training Center (TRTC) in Sulaimaniya to:

• Provide comprehensive services to survivors of torture and trauma due to human rights violations;
• Provide access to psychosocial, psychiatric, medical and case management services from qualified staff who provide services in a confidential manner and from a trauma informed approach;
• Supervise and monitor a wide network of community mental health workers trained by Heartland Alliance who are located throughout Iraq;
• Work in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the University of Sulaimaniya to provide opportunities for training and technical assistance on trauma informed care to health care professionals and social workers through rotations and internships.