The Services for Survivors of Torture (SOT) Program helps people who have been tortured in another country and are now living in the United States (U.S.). Torture is defined by U.S. law as an act, which is intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering, and committed by a person acting under the color of law upon another person who he has under his custody or physical control (18 U.S. Code §2340 ). As of 2015, research (PDF) from the Center for Victims of Torture suggests that 44% of refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers living in the U.S. have experienced torture. The SOT Program helps survivors and their families to restore their health and dignity as they reunite, rebuild their lives, and contribute to their communities.
The program includes two grant types on a five-year cycle:
- Direct Services for Survivors of Torture grants, which are awarded to diverse organizations, are designed to ensure the direct delivery of holistic, strengths-based, and trauma-informed services to survivors of torture and their families to assist them in the healing and recovery process.
- The Technical Assistance to Survivors of Torture organizations grant is designed to ensure that direct service providers have the training and resources needed to deliver quality, integrated, and sustainable services to survivors and their families.
There are currently 35 grant programs located in 24 states throughout the U.S. For program locations, view the list of recipients or this map of healing centers . Eligibility (PDF) for services does not depend on a person’s immigration status, and there is no time limit for receiving services.
For more information on eligibility, survivors, and providers, visit www.healtorture.org , the website of the National Capacity Building Project, which serves as the SOT Program’s training and technical assistance provider.
Contact Information
Refining Program Data
to Support Learning
ORR and ACF’s Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) assessed SOT grant recipient data to improve existing performance measures and enhance evidence capacity at ORR. Learn more (PDF).