Human Right # 5: No torture
Posted on Jun 2nd, 2008
by 
Phoenix
Phoenix
What is torture? Mobbing is torture, so is making fun of another, judging them, hurting them deeply. I am sure, you have heard about teens committing suicide because of mobbing.
Spouse abuse also falls under this category. Do you think of torture to be too strong of a word for domestic abuse? Then think for a moment how a person feels, awaiting in terror for the spouses arrival, frantically running around the home, making sure everything is just as he/she wants it to be. That is the definition of torture.
How do we prevent torture?
Stand up, for a person who is being mobbed.
Do not participate in degrading conversations.
Check on the neighbor who you might think is getting hit - give her a number to call to get help, or at least be the smiling face, maybe the only one she sees that day.
If you think a child is getting abused, don't look the other way!
You would want someone to stand up for you, wouldn't you?
Spouse abuse also falls under this category. Do you think of torture to be too strong of a word for domestic abuse? Then think for a moment how a person feels, awaiting in terror for the spouses arrival, frantically running around the home, making sure everything is just as he/she wants it to be. That is the definition of torture.
How do we prevent torture?
Stand up, for a person who is being mobbed.
Do not participate in degrading conversations.
Check on the neighbor who you might think is getting hit - give her a number to call to get help, or at least be the smiling face, maybe the only one she sees that day.
If you think a child is getting abused, don't look the other way!
You would want someone to stand up for you, wouldn't you?
Access: Public
action
August 2008 
i am not one to stand up and fight for others, that route seems to be directing energy towards conflict. however empowering victims to find their own power use their energy to recreate their reality makes sense to me.
There is always a way to get involved, even if we, as people who want to create peace through peaceful actions, have to be a little bit more creative to bring forth that change. It is easy to fight against, but it is much more helpful to give solutions toward another to allow them to help themselves.
Hugs!
Phoenix, thanks for bringing this topic for discussion.
I think that fighting for causes in an activist style; against abuse in which large numbers of people are involved; like as you say mobbing [ or ragging, in India] is a way to mobilize large numbers of people and bring it to awareness. The same could go for domestic abuse in general or for governmental actions/inaction.
You ask :”You would want someone to stand up for you, wouldn't you?” I think that when someone outside the situation gets involved, things get worse; beacuse they cannot be in the abuse situation all the time.
I have preferred it when people have stood up for me by empowering me; contacting me; o rather than when they have fought for me. In the latter case, things have got worse, as fighting can only increase fighting, and charged emotions that brought the situation about in the first place. As ohmsmom points out, when that is done, the energy is directed towards conflict; and conflict gets worse.
I have stood up as a child against teachers who hurt fellow students; and in my grown-up years, by helping abused women to feel be self-empowered so that they can deal with the situation they find themselves in.
The important thing is to take action that does not in turn abuse the abuser; but leads to healing all around. That is the only way to stop the victim from becoming abuser.