To be treated with dignity is your basic human right. But after you or a family member has been physically, psychologically, and/or spiritually tortured or exposed to war crimes in your homeland, that right has been severely violated. Survivors of torture and related war crimes are often haunted by their traumatic experiences while attempting to acclimate to an unfamiliar country. Our programs are community-based and provide practical assistance, case management, counseling, and links to other resources. Our counselors represent a broad range of immigrant communities, and many have had similar experiences. They are active in their communities in New York and in the worldwide community of torture survivors. Safe Horizon is committed to providing confidential services and to helping you understand your legal rights. What is Torture? Torture is the deliberate infliction of pain or suffering by a government or someone acting alone on an individual in order to obtain information or a confession, or for punishment, intimidation or coercion. The United Nations declared that “any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is an offense to human dignity and a fundamental violation of human rights.” There are an estimated 100,000 torture survivors living in New York City. Solace Program for Survivors of Torture and Refugee Trauma All human beings need support systems. Most often, the natural support systems for survivors of torture and refugees have been fragmented or lost. They often feel extreme grief and they may experience trauma symptoms. At Solace, healing is a dialogue between staff and participants. Solace provides clients with group and individual counseling, home visits, information and referrals, accompaniment, and evaluations for political asylum. Solace is located in Queens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. Office hours are from 9:00 AM ­ 5:00 PM. To find out more information about Solace, please contact us at 1 (718) 899-1233, ext. 101 or visit us at: 74-09 37th Avenue Room 412 Jackson Heights, NY 11372