6 A practical guide to the Istanbul Protocol – for psychologists has paradoxically led to more sophisticated methods of torture that do not leave visible evidence on victim’s body (Jacobs, 2000). Most physical symptoms and signs of torture, if there are any, rapidly dissapear (Finn Somnier et al., 1992). such physical evidence should not be construed to suggest that torture did not occur: It is important to realize that torturers may attempt to conceal their act. To avoid physical evidence of torture, different precautions are taken in order to use different forms of torture with the intention of producing maximal pain and suffering with minimal evidence. Especially under conditions of raised awareness in the society, torture applied with these precautions and sophisticated methods may leave almost no physical signs. Contrary to the physical effect of torture, the psychological consequences of torture are often more persistent and troublesome than physical disability. Several aspects of psychological functioning may continue to be impaired in long-term; if not treated victims may suffer from the psychological consequences of torture even months or years following the event, sometimes for life, with varying degrees of severity. (Carlsson et al., 2006; 1992; Genefke & Vesti, 1998; Gurr & Quiroga, 2001; Jacobs, 2000; Somnier et al., 1992; Turner & Gorst-Unsworth, 1993). Torturers know that by not leaving permanent physical scars, they help their cause and make the work of their counterparts in the human rights arena more difficult (Jacobs, 2000). For this reason, in the Istanbul Protocol it is underlined that the absence of • Psychological symptoms are often more prevalent and long-lasting than physical ones. (See § 159, § 161 and §§ 260-261 in the Istanbul Protocol.). II. THE PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF TORTURE The potential effects of torture include cumulative traumatic experiences on individual level, family trauma on family level, and community trauma on community level (Kira, 2002). 1. ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL Torture is a dynamic process that begins at the moment of losing liberty, involves a sequence of traumatic events that may take place at different times and places, end- ing with the release or demise of the victim (Somnier et al., 1992). Sometimes it may continue or repeat again. This cascade of events may start again within a short time-frame, without leaving any time for the individual to recover. The person experiences complete uncontrollability, inescapability, and is also challenged by the unpredictability of the torturer (Kira, 2002). Generally torture has an extremely threatening and painful character, and can induce immediate reactions of panic and fear, including significant fear of death, with a very