Syrian refugees: Horrific torture haunts new Canadians

Ghazi Al Jasem lives with a constant feeling of fear.

Years after enduring unspeakable torture in a Syrian jail, and months after finally landing safely on Canadian soil, he's still haunted.

There are many memories from his seven months in captivity, the former dairy factory worker likely never be able to forget, including the time his captors forced him to drink large amounts of juice.

At first he didn't understand what they were doing, but then they tightened an elastic band around his genitals so he could not urinate. They then bound his arms and legs behind his back and left him to writhe in agony.

He spent the night screaming. He often wished he was dead.

Stories like these are common among refugees who've fled Syria and made their way to Canada, which is why helping people like Al Jasem recover from their experiences poses significant challenges for healthcare providers in the Windsor region.

"I don't think we can come out and say we understand what people have gone through," said Shannon Sasseville of the Erie St.Clair LHIN. "Once we have that understanding as providers, we can better figure out what services need to be available."

Al Jasem still doesn't understand why he was captured. He speculates he was swept up in a mass arrest of demonstrators in his hometown, though he says he never protested and was never charged.

Dr. Ahmad Chaker, who works with refugees in the Windsor region, has examined Al Jasem's wounds and has been treating him for the past four months.

Chaker has visited several refugee camps and has heard hundreds of stories of torture. Al Jasem's story, though, is particularly horrific.

"It's one of the worst pictures I have seen or I have heard in my life," Chaker told CBC News. "Not only [have I] been in the camps, I have been with lots of people that left Syria and had horrible stories."

That's why he wants there more mental health services that cater specifically to the experiences of refugees.

"We know that trauma counselling is going to be key," Sasseville said. "We know that."

During those seven months of torture, Al Jasem's wife could only conclude that her husband was dead. Doing her best to describe her emotions, Itab Al-Khalil said she received no news about her husband.

"No anything," she said from the family's new home in west Windsor. "Maybe, I think, he died. No call, no anything."

Then the call came. A jail guard, who Al Jasem said felt sorry for him, lent him a phone.

"My husband live," Al-Khalil said. "Oh my gosh. Very happy."

Eventually, Al Jasem went to trial and was released without any charges. After reuniting with his wife and children, the family made a long journey to Canada.

Al Jasem still works closely with Chaker, getting treatment for his lasting injuries, but he's now trying to focus on being happy. A big part of that happiness is seeing his children adjust to life in Canada.

That's something he could only dream about just a few years ago.