Projects and Activities

The relationship between the nature and severity of experiences of torture and ill- treatment and post traumatic disorder (PTSD) symptoms was studied in 550 male non help-seeking Palestinian political ex-prisoners from the Gaza Strip. Results showed that the more a prisoner had been exposed to physical, chemical and electric torture, psychological ill-treatment and sensory deprivation or bombardment, the more he subsequently suffered from intrusive re experiencing, withdrawal and numbness, and hyper arousal. Existential problems were not related to torture experiences. Furthermore, duration of imprisonment, health problems during the imprisonment, harassment during arrest and after release, Family marriage and economic difficulties all predicted intrusive re experiences of trauma. Also ex-prisoners who continued to be harassed by military authorities and had economic problems suffered more from withdrawal numbness, and hyper arousal than others.