American Psychoanalytic Association condemns torture
February 14th, 2007
Received from the American Psychoanalytic Association:
February 14, 2007
Dear Fellow APsaA Members,
I am proud to inform you that the Association’s Board of Directors approved the following position statement on torture at the Executive Council meeting in New York on January 18, 2007. The statement was approved unanimously. A press release issued that day was picked up by a variety of news sources scattered around the country.* News about the issuing of the position statement was also immediately posted on our website.
American Psychoanalytic Association Position Statement on Torture
January 18, 2007
The American Psychoanalytic Association joins with other mental health and medical professional organizations in strongly condemning the use of torture. As an organization of psychoanalysts who have devoted their lives to helping people undo the effects of trauma in their lives, we strongly protest any governmentally administered and governmentally approved torture of people who are detained. Torture degrades those tortured and those torturing. The effects of that physical and moral degradation, we know, are transmitted to the families and offspring of both victims and perpetrators.
We also strongly condemn the participation or oversight by any mental health or medical personnel in any and all aspects of torture. Such actions are contrary to the basic ethical principles fundamental to the helping professions.
******
[end of statement]We believe this to be a clean straightforward statement, valuable in its simplicity and lack of ambiguity and exceptions. I’d like to personally thank all who made the approval of this statement possible in a relatively short period of time, especially Dr. Bennett Simon, who contributed a great deal to its drafting.
I hope you will all find occasions to use or refer to the statement in your work with other organizations, community groups, and the media.
Best regards,
Prudy Gourguechon,
President Elect* A sampling of some of the “placements” of the press release:
dallasnews.com
PR Newswire
Yahoo!
MedicalDevices.Org
Yahoo!UK and Ireland
Dallas Morning News
NBC6.com
While this statement is nice to have, American Psychological Association people will point out that it ignores so-called “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,” which was condemned by the 2006 APA Resolution. Of course, both ignore any statement of whether, and where, torture is occurring and whether mental health professionals are aiding it. As usual, the devil is in the details.
Entry Filed under: APA, Guantanamo, Psychoanalysis, Psychology, Rights and Liberties, Torture
4 Comments Add your own
1. Art Eccleston, Psy.D. | February 15th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
The statement also doesn’t mention what definition of torture it is considering in its condemnation. If it is the U.S. Government’s version of torture, then the statement is truly not saying anything of substance, and is in the same boat with APA with respect to its deceptive 2006 Resolution Against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment and Punishment.
2. Mike | February 19th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
41% of 2006 US Taxes spent on war:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=2336&issue_id=18
3. Steven Miles | February 24th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
This bland lip service makes no reference to
-which of the various definitions of torture it refers to,
-which of the various mental health association standards (e.g. Royal College, Declaration of Madrid, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association),
-to the obligations of psychoanalytically trained people who are involved in various clinical and interrogationally related jobs,
-sanctions against psychoanalysts who violate this statement,
-the need for an independent investigation of the events by the US government which precipitated this statement.
If thee psychoanalysts have a problem with mumbling and asserting their values clearly, perhaps brief cognitive therapy might help them.
Steven Miles, MD
University of Minnesota
4. Stephen Soldz | February 24th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
While I basically agree with this critique, I am glad the APsyaA did make some statement. Taking any “political” stance is so rare for psychoanalysts. I’m a little dubious that a little cognitive therapy will do the trick. After all, the American Psychological Association has enough of that and they have become true masters of mumbling.
Defensively, I also have to say that Division 39, Psychoanalysis, of the American Psychological Association has played an exemplary role in fighting psychologist participation in interrogations. Some analysts seem able to assert their values clearly.
Seriously, of Dr. Miles’ points, I think the the last one, on a need for an investigation, is the most important. After all, at present, the military aren’t using that many (e.g., >0) psychoanalysts. But we have repeated credible reports by every reporter who’s examined the issue of participation of mental health professionals in torture or abuse at Guantanamo.
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