Torture: a forensic medical approach for investigation, diagnosis, and prevention.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Torture was condemned in 1948 in the universal declaration of human rights, and since then cruel and degrading treatment has been repudiated by different organizations; consequently, we, being aware of cases of this nature
that occur more frequently, nationally and internationally, join efforts with different entities that are involved in the fight
against these degrading and inhuman forms of treatment in order to preserve the rights of detained individuals, and ensure their social reintegration with a decent and humane treatment.

Objective: Carry out a theoretical review on torture and its implications with a forensic medical approach to propose
strategies for the investigation, diagnosis, and prevention of torture and thus, improve the Ecuadorian prison system.

Methodology: A descriptive, qualitative, bibliographic review study will be carried out through a direct search in scientific
platforms.

Results: The initial search yielded 112 documents among scientific articles, theses, books, journals, newspapers, guides,
and protocols: 59 were excluded due to duplication and 5 due to the inclusion criteria, obtaining a total of 48, which
were included in this review.

Conclusion: Interdisciplinary action is necessary among health professionals in the forensic field, authorities that represent
the law and organizations involve in the fight to enforce human rights to guarantee, through an adequate search, an
accurate diagnosis of reported cases and prevent the commission of new cases, searching for the truth in every situation
of injuries, death or the disappearance of people who have been linked to inhumane treatment and, in this way improve
humanitarian action to prevent recurrence.