Short answers, pulled from the story.
Torture appeared in the archaeological record of Early Neolithic Europe approximately 7,000 years ago. This process has existed since the dawn of recorded history and was utilized by ancient societies like Assyria and Achaemenid Persia as a standard judicial tool.
An average of 40 percent of torture survivors develop long-term post-traumatic stress disorder. This rate is higher than for any other traumatic experience, yet many survivors remain psychologically resilient despite the odds.
Israel became the only country in the world to purportedly legalize torture in 1987. The United States government also challenged the prohibition by using arguments of state security to embark on an overseas torture program as part of its war on terror.
Safeguards such as immediate access to a lawyer and notifying relatives of an arrest are the most effective ways to prevent abuse. The risk of torture is highest directly after an arrest, and visits by independent monitoring bodies to detention sites can also help reduce torture.
An estimated 300,000 people were tortured during the Algerian War alone. Similar tactics were employed by the United Kingdom and Portugal to retain their empires during the anti-colonial wars of the twentieth century.