This project is financed by the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights to help promote and defend human rights and fundamental freedoms, to support the processes of democratization as well as measures for conflict-prevention and resolution.

Medical, psychological, social and legal support

In 2006, medical, social and psychological treatment and legal support was provided to 340 clients. We had 276 primary and 64 secondary victims (157 men, 183 women). During 2006, the IRC received 194 new clients. During the reporting period there were 1678 visits (consultations), including 1486 in the Centre, 145 at clients' home and 47 outside the centre. IRC staff provided 978 consultations and support by phone.

Our staff works in a multidisciplinary team (general practitioner, neurologist, ophthalmologist, psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, pediatrician, homoeopathist, social worker, 2 nurses, documentalist, lawyer, interpreter, and driver). Every treatment begins with a small discussion and an assessment of the needs of the client. There are several treatment approaches in our center and every client has his or her own individual plan of treatment and rehabilitation, including psychodynamic approaches, cognitive and behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy.

The IRC provided the following types of rehabilitation assistance:

  • Medical component: Medical care was provided by a general practitioner (therapist), a neurologist, an ophthalmologist, a psychiatrist, a pediatrician and 2 nurses.
  • Psychological component: Two psychologists provided aid to victims. The most prevalent diagnoses were PTSD and depression. The psychologists evaluated the psychological state of the client through special questionnaires and provided therapy. These questionnaires were elaborated in the Centre based on international experience in the rehabilitation of torture victims.
  • Social component: The social worker provided information about the services of the IRC, legal consultations and assistance in setting social relations and did first assessment of the clients.
  • Legal component: A lawyer analyzed the legal facts of the victims' abuse and gave legal support to the victims in their human rights defense.

At the center clients went through diagnostic interviews with a social worker, nurse and general practitioner, after which the treatment program was developed by this group of specialists.

Treatment was free of charge, and the IRC purchased and distributed necessary medication free of charge. The treatment was mainly provided at the center; however, if patients were unable to come to the center for some reason (elderly people, sick or having a relapse), the medical team (general practitioner, neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologists, nurses, social worker) visited them at home on a regular basis.

The decision about treatment was made only in case the patient realized its necessity and voluntarily agreed to the therapy offered. The treatment was directed both at the patient and his family. Treatment consisted of three parts:

  • psychotherapy (supportive, rational-emotive, self-control, the system of psychological unloading);
  • physiotherapy (massage);
  • pharmacotherapy (different groups of drugs in accordance with prescriptions; vitamin therapy).

All the information received as the result of the research is confidential. All clients of the center were guaranteed confidentiality of all information about themselves, members of their families and other information.

All our clients are listed in a database, of which we have a paper and an electronic version.