IRCT REGIONAL REPORT 2016 Sweden ABOUT The Red Cross Treatment Centre for Persons Affected by Torture and War Among EU countries, Sweden received the second highest number of asylum applications as a proportion of its population in 2015. Although the government initially welcomed refugees seeking protection, it subsequently backtracked and began placing restrictions on asylum, including reintroducing controls on the border with Denmark. Due to housing shortages, torture victims have been placed under considerable strain. The Red Cross Centre for Victims of Torture was initially established in Stockholm in 1985. As the need for rehabilitation became more evident, the Treatment Centre was established in Malmo in 1988. The Red Cross Treatment Centre for Persons Affected by Torture and War in Malmo supports refugees and their families living in Skåne County, suffering from the consequences of torture and war. Rehabilitation treatment is conducted using a holistic approach based on individual needs and circumstances. The traumatic experiences of war, imprisonment, torture, escape and exile are processed in an atmosphere of trust and respect for individual privacy. The goal is to give refugees support and assistance so they can live as normal a life as possible. A client and a physio during a session at RC Malmo. © Swedish Red Cross, Ola Torkelsson page 35