“Torture does not end when the aggression stops. Its effects can last months, years, or a lifetime,” explains Violeta Chapela, medical referent at the Comprehensive Care Center (CAI) run by MSF in Mexico City. Since 2017, the organization has provided multidisciplinary care there, including medical, psychological, and social support for survivors of torture and extreme violence. However, many people arrive long after the acts of violence occur. The lack of timely care not only delays recovery processes but also deepens the impact of violence on physical, mental, and social health. 

Data from the CAI clearly reflects these delays. During 2025, 112 cases of violence were reported and treated. Of those, 48.2% reported having experienced a violent event between four and twelve months before their first consultation, while 23.2% said it had occurred more than a year earlier. Only a minority received care within the first few weeks. In total, that year MSF provided 7,181 medical consultations, psychological sessions, and social work interventions, demonstrating the complexity of treatments, the magnitude of needs, and the gaps in early access. 

Behind these delays are barriers that limit access to care: fear, mistrust of institutions, stigma, and lack of information, in addition to administrative, economic, documentation-related, linguistic, and cultural obstacles. These challenges also affect Indigenous communities, who face services that are not available in their language or adapted to their context, while Haitian and other mobile populations encounter language barriers, isolation, and a lack of awareness of available services. Many also avoid seeking care due to previous experiences of violence or discrimination.