ACOPS Position Statement Against Torture
The Association of Counseling Psychology Students (ACOPS), on behalf of Ph.D. students enrolled in the Counseling Psychology program at Auburn University, feels compelled to express our sentiments in light of the findings of the July 2, 2015 independent review report by David Hoffman (hereafter, the Hoffman report). The report outlined the involvement of certain psychologists in harmful, cruel, degrading, and dehumanizing treatment of prisoners, some of which we consider to constitute torture. Furthermore, it described how some staff and elected officials within the American Psychological Association (APA) took actions which shielded those engaged in objectionable, placed psychology’s public image and job opportunities for psychologists above ethical principles, and took on multiple roles representing clear conflicts of interest. The revelations of the Hoffman report have impacted both public trust in psychology and APA membership trust in its leaders. As students who are actively developing our professional identities, we are particularly concerned about the behavior and misconduct of such individuals and the effects their actions, as described in the Hoffman report, may have on our profession. As students in an academic program accredited by APA, we do not under any circumstances condone the use of torture, and we are adamantly opposed to any actions by psychologists that are harmful or demeaning, or that violate the dignity or rights of others. These actions run counter to what we stand for as psychologists and psychologists-in-training.
As future psychologists, we are trained in core principles and ethical standards that serve as the foundation for our professional activities. Chief among these is to do no harm and to improve the lives of those we serve. Individuals who defend what have euphemistically been called “enhanced interrogation techniques” often proclaim that such actions were necessary to protect the American public from possible harm from future terrorist attacks. As future psychologists, we cannot, should not, and will not cause harm to other human beings through degrading or cruel interrogation in the pursuit of security. It matters not whether this harm is physical or psychological. Furthermore, we explicitly reject the apparent statement by a then-APA president-elect to the effect that international law is a “distraction” in developing ethical policies. Psychology, both in the United States and otherwise, is situated in the broader context of human culture, and its ethical commitments should reflect its valuing of and respect for principles endorsed by multiple cultures. As a profession, our priority is to do the most good in our service to the public. In doing so, we strive to promote growth and reduce suffering. We strive to protect the rights and preserve the welfare of all. We strive to treat all individuals with dignity and respect. We strive to carry out our duties with integrity, honesty, and transparency. We strive to be just in our actions and in our service to all people. These goals guide us in all that we do, and we are firmly committed to upholding these ideals. To engage in, support, or permit harm to others is to directly violate these core principles.
We feel encouraged by the responses from APA membership and the actions taken thus far by APA in response to the Hoffman report. We acknowledge and endorse APA’s motion to a.) prohibit psychologists from participating in national security interrogations in settings that operate outside the protections of the U.S. constitution and military law and b.) redefine “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment” in accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture. We hope that as we move forward, open self-critique and accountability will remain central. By proceeding in this manner, we can begin to correct the wrongdoings of those within APA who have manipulated its ethical standards and violated its fundamental principles. We also urge APA to continue to engage its members in the repair and reorganization process while maintaining full transparency in developing forthcoming actions/resolutions. We wish to restore a strong commitment to our ethical principles and to rebuild membership trust in APA’s leadership and public trust in our profession.
As students who will soon enter into the profession, we support APA in its effort to reaffirm and strengthen our professional values of ethics and morality. We stand in unity with all psychological professionals who are committed to taking the actions necessary to restore the strength of our humanitarian values. We, the members of ACOPS, as deeply saddened and disturbed by the actions described in the Hoffman report. We attest that we will each play our part in upholding the high ethical principles and standards which should guide our profession and in constantly pushing our entire field to be better for our clients, our colleagues, and the world.