Torture and ill-treatment: an intro for medics
What is psychological torture?
There is nothing more terrorizing than making somebody expect a smash every single heartbeat. (Mohamedou Ould Slahi)
Introduction
Psychological torture (PT) involves deliberately causing mental or emotional pain without direct physical harm. Other terms for it include clean torture, non-contact or no-touch torture, torture-light or torture-lite, and white torture.
Meaning
There is ongoing debate about what should and shouldn't be classified as PT. One approach is to define it narrowly as acts that involve suffering, intentional infliction and a deliberate motive, but do not involve physical contact. Alternatively, it may be viewed as any act of torture resulting in lasting psychological harm, regardless of whether physical contact was used. This ambiguity around definition complicates a review of the literature.
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13:3