What does iMMO provide?
iMMO contributes to the protection of human rights, specifically by conducting forensic medical assessments of suspected victims of torture and inhumane treatment and transferring expertise on their issues. All this in particular to support the implementation of a careful asylum procedure.
What kind of assessments we do
iMMO focuses on suspected victims of torture and inhumane treatment and asylum seekers with medical issues. You can contact the institute for the following:
Forensic medical assessment
with asylum seekers or trafficking victims who claim to have been victims of torture or other inhumane treatment. For them, the medical assessment serves as supporting evidence in the legal procedure.
Examination of medical and psychological problems
which may affect the individual’s ability to properly present his/her reasons for requesting international protection.
Advice in asylum or immigration cases
where medical aspects play an important role and an independent medical report or opinion may be of added value.
iMMO conducts an assessment only when there are no insurmountable (legal) obstacles. If you are uncertain whether a medical assessment can help the person involved, please complete this checklist (in Dutch)
Medical cases
Being underage and explaining your asylum claim
Being underage can affect how an asylum narrative develops as evidenced by scientific research. It has been found that the ability to construct a “life story” is not achieved until late adolescence or during young adulthood (early 20s). At the same time, experiences such as significant psychotrauma or depression can […]
Case study on the paradox of sexual violence
The scars left by sexual violence are often more psychological than physical. This is also the case with 40-year-old Carolina*. She is an only child and grows up with an aunt because her mother was too young to take care of her. Her father dies when she is still young. […]
Training and Education
Transfer of expertise
iMMO believes it is important to share its knowledge, experience and expertise. When more people involved in the legal procedures around asylum or human trafficking cases are aware of the signs that someone may be a victim of torture or human rights violations, it can contribute to a more careful procedure.
Training and education
iMMO provides training and education for organizations that play a role in the asylum procedure. Examples include training in recognizing medical problems for employees of the IND, the Refugee Council, Nidos and others who assist asylum seekers. For example, in one course people are trained in the use of the signaling list. iMMO can provide this training on request. Regularly iMMO provides lectures and workshops on specific medical and legal topics. In recent years, iMMO explained in several courts how medical findings lead to supporting medical evidence. Similar sessions were organized for organizations involved with victims of human trafficking. iMMO also regularly provides master classes for the IND on specific topics, such as interviewing children and minors.
You can contact iMMO to inquire what trainings and workshops we can provide for you and the costs involved.
Training
In addition, iMMO provides components of the Clinical Psychologist university programme and we give psychiatrists in training (AIOS Psychiatry) the opportunity to conduct supervised assessments at iMMO. These are post-doctoral training programmes to which iMMO contributes.
For the AIOS, iMMO asks the training institute or employer to contribute to the cost of training and supervision.
Scientific research
iMMO regularly contributes to scientific research, whether initiated by iMMO or by others. The research is focused both on medical topics as well as on legal issues. iMMO’s files provide a wealth of information on how victims of torture and human rights violations, with their medical issues, get tangled up in the practicalities of the asylum process. The reports of the findings often result in articles in national or professional media and sometimes feed discussions in the Dutch parliament.
