the victim’s expectations, it can trigger frustration, destabilisation and in doing so, is likely to increase the victim’s trauma. In this case, the continuation of psychosocial support post-trial is critical. Best practices provided by rehabilitation centres offering psychosocial support The rehabilitation centres in this report recommend the following best practice examples to be followed when providing psychosocial support to torture victims involved in legal proceedings. 1. Develop specialised psychosocial support for torture victims involved in legal proceedings Many of IRCT’s members address the problem of re-traumatisation of torture victims through legal proceedings by adapting their support to the specific needs of victims involved in a trial. For example, specialised psychosocial support and access to justice programmes help torture victims to overcome the psychological burden of a trial while enhancing the therapeutic impact of justice on the individual’s rehabilitation. The following two case studies give examples of how specialised psychosocial support can be tailored to the torture victim’s individual needs. Philippines: BALAY Center explains the importance of psycho-legal support The psycho-legal intervention has two objectives: the first is to help our clients in strengthening their resolve in pursuing their case against the perpetrator; the second is to build the case story emphasising the therapeutic side of their story. The legal pursuit of a case has both therapeutic and legal value in terms of method and outcome. During psychological sessions, the client is able to understand the possible outcome of their case, and they are also able to confront their anxieties and fears in a therapeutic way. We ensure that terms are clarified and technical language is simplified so clients can fully understand legal proceedings. It is important that all legal and personal 34