The aim of torture is to cause as much pain as possible without letting the victim die. It is very difficult to understand how people can be capable of committing torture, but the reality is that torture takes place in many countries around the world. Torture is used to punish people, to obtain information, or to make people afraid. Wherever torture is practised, people are afraid to speak out, in case they or members of their family will be attacked or tortured themselves. According to the UN Convention against Torture, no one must ever practise torture.
Torture is forbidden and there is no excuse for using it.
You might see a torture victim on the television or you might sit next to one in class, and you would not know. Torture can happen to anyone. In some countries, children are tortured. They may be tortured to upset their parents, or as punishment for a small crime such as stealing a loaf of bread. Children who are homeless, and forced to live on the streets, may also be tortured because they are not welcome to live in the area.