welcome to astt

Founded in 1994 by a small group of concerned professionals, Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASTT) provides comprehensive mental health care and social services to survivors of torture and war trauma. ASTT is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is: to alleviate the suffering of those who have experienced the trauma of torture, to educate the local, national, and world community about the needs of torture survivors, and to advocate on their behalf. We are based in Baltimore and operate offices in Washington, D.C. and Wheaton, MD.

According to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, there are 500,000 survivors of torture and war-related trauma now living in the United States. Of these, an estimated 40,000 live in the Baltimore/ Washington area. Many of these individuals carry in silence the burden of long-term effects — physical, psychological, and emotional — related to the abuse they experienced in their home countries. ASTT is one of only twenty-two specialized care centers for torture survivors in the United States. The demand for our services is great and the number of individuals we serve has increased tremendously over the past five years.

We invite you to learn about our work, learn about the consequences of torture, and the needs of survivors, as well as links to other organizations active in this field. We also invite you to find out how you can help support ASTT's programs, either through volunteering your time or making a donation.