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Sensory Bombardment

Sensor bombardment is usually practised with exposure to bright lights, flashing strobe lights and/or loud music for extended periods of time. The use of lights and loud music may cause physiologic distress and disorientation. The body can interpret certain noises as danger signals, inducing the release of stress hormones which may increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) among those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Loud music can also cause hearing loss or ringing in the ears; these consequences can be both short term and chronic, with chronic tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, being more common.

Sound and light bombardment is used to disorient, cause anxiety, and even contribute to personality disintegration, as well as to deprive the person of sleep. It is often combined with other tactics. The UN Committee against Torture has determined that “sounding of loud music for prolonged periods” constitutes torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment both when it is used in combination with other methods of interrogation and when it is used by itself.[1] The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has similarly determined that depriving a detainee of, or exposing him to, light for a prolonged period constitutes torture and ill-treatment.[2]


[1] Broken Laws, Broken Lives pp. 102.

[2] Broken Laws, Broken Lives pp. 102.