The history of psychoanalytic activism is summarized, providing a backdrop to Nguyen's account of her work with victims of torture and trauma. Several themes in her paper are examined, including: (a) the question of rendering the victim as human; (b) her observation that those suffering severe trauma deny mortality; and (c) the issue of constructing the narrative of trauma with regard to the emphasis on heroism and resilience, the accessibility of reported experience, and the limitations of recognition on the part of the witness. Lastly, the reported personal meaning of her work is discussed.