MONITORING PLACES OF DETENTION : A PRACTICAL GUIDE 105 ■ refraining from using prisoners in disciplinary or control roles; ■ explicit and well publicised ’anti-bullying’ policies. Dealing with allegations of torture During private interviews, members of visiting bodies may receive allegations of torture. These may refer to treatment experiences prior to arrival at the current place of detention. Understandably, while still in the place where torture is being or has been inflicted, detainees will be less willing to make allegations, for fear of reprisals. Allegations may concern individual incidents, such as abuse by a guard, or a specific event such as a riot or disciplinary punishment. The visitor should not forget that general conditions in the institution can also amount to torture. For a person who has been subjected to torture or ill-treatment it is often difficult to talk about this extremely humiliating experience. The collecting of information about ill treatment is therefore an especially sensitive task for visitors. Visitors should receive special training in handling allegations of torture, to develop a fine sense of how far they can go with their questions or indeed whether instead specialist intervention is necessary. It is particularly difficult to strike a balance between obtaining the information that seeking redress requires, and avoiding the possibility of retraumatisation. For the protection of the detainee, it is crucial that you ask if and how you can use the allegation (whether you can mention personal data, use the information only in a general way or not use it at all). It is important for medical personnel to be able to document the allegations as soon as possible through a medical examination that addresses both physical and psychological evidences. For detailed information about interviewing torture victims as well as gathering medical evidence, see: ■ Camille Giffard, The Torture Reporting Handbook - How to document and respond to allegations of torture within the international 1