Abstract
How is torture named and understood by different actors? Given this issue, the article seeks to analyze the disputes and existing consensus on the way in which torture is conceived among members of civil society and public power. Then, semi-structured interviews were carried out with different actors who work in the assistance and attention to victims of violations committed by State agents. Through the narratives collected and the analyzes carried out, it was possible to observe a series of meanings used for the word torture, which reveals a strategic use of the term in multiple political and social contexts.
Keywords:
torture; human rights; victims; state violence; conceptualization