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Torture and trauma

Effects of torture and trauma

If you or someone you care about has experienced torture or trauma there is help available. The lasting effects of torture and trauma include:

  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • anxiety and depression
  • flash backs and repeated memories of the event
  • nightmares
  • guilt and shame
  • sexually transmitted diseases
  • brain injury and epilepsy
  • constant pain.

Family members of victims, especially children and partners, may also need support to deal with these after-effects.

Read more on torture and its impact.

Getting help

The Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre (QTMHC) offers information, advice and clinical consultation services for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland. Phone (07) 3167 8333.

Multilingual brochures about mental health offer information in different languages.

The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) offer services to survivors of torture and trauma, their families and communities.

Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (QPASTT) is the Queensland member agency of FASST. It offers free help to people who have been tortured or suffered refugee related trauma before migrating to Australia. Phone (07) 3391 6677.

FASSTT member agencies are available in each state and territory in Australia. 

Harmony Place offers mental health services for culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities. Phone (07) 3848 1600.

Licence
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0)
Last updated:
17 September 2012

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