When a child’s worst night need not be the end | Part 2

Picture this.

A teenage girl from North Kerala had what appeared to be a normal, happy life. Like many young people, she had dreams of studying away from home. She wanted to experience life in Bengaluru, and when she asked her parents to let her continue her studies there, they agreed. They admitted her to a college in the city. During a vacation, she returned home.

It was an ordinary homecoming. There was no indication that anything was wrong. That night, she asked her parents if she could sleep in the room with her brothers. Her parents agreed. She went into the room with her brothers.

Then, after sometime, the silence of the night was shattered by screams.

Her parents froze. The cries coming from the room became louder. Frightened, they rushed towards the door, only to find it locked. They called neighbours for help as the screams and cries continued.

When the door was finally opened, what the family saw was a scene no parent could ever imagine.

The girl was holding a knife. Her elder brother lay seriously injured and was dead. The younger brother was covered in blood and had suffered injuries.

The girl was overpowered and taken to hospital. She, too, had injuries to her hands from the blade. Doctors also found that she was under the influence of drugs. She is recovering despite the legal proceedings.

For her parents, the night was not simply the end of a life.

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The 9-year-old girl had suffered unimaginable trauma. The little girl was gang-raped by three boys in a southern district of Kerala. She sustained injuries and had to undergo plastic surgery. Along with medical treatment, she needed counselling and, above all, a safe place where she could slowly rebuild her life.

For her family, there was a time when it felt as though everything had come to an end. But for the little girl, it was not the end.

She continued her studies. She grew up in a protection home, surrounded by people who cared and stood by her. With their support, she slowly rebuilt the life that the crime had tried to take away from her.

Years passed. She completed her studies and began looking ahead. Then came a marriage proposal.

The man was a chartered accountant from Thrissur and residing in Dubai. He was a divorcee and his family wanted him to consider marriage again. He was hesitant at first. But when he met the young woman at the protection home, something changed.

He liked her immediately. Within a week, the wedding was held. She left Kerala with her husband and moved to Dubai, where he worked.

Today, their life is blessed with their son.

For her husband, she is his companion, his family and, he says, one of the greatest gifts life has given him. “Without her, my life would have been empty. She is the best gift I could have received,” he says.

Sometimes, what a child needs most is someone to say: What happened to you is not the end of your life.

And this young woman is proof of that.

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These two stories show something equally important: a child’s life does not have to end with trauma, crime or violence. With timely intervention, counselling, care and the right support, there can be a way forward.

Early support can prevent problems from becoming serious

School counsellors, juvenile homes and correction homes play an important role in helping children recover from trauma and rebuild their lives. Schools have systems to identify children facing emotional or behavioural problems and refer them for counselling. Early intervention can prevent these problems from becoming more serious.

Children facing abuse at home, particularly those living in families affected by violence or alcohol-related problems, are also identified and given counselling and rehabilitation support.

Also Read: When children turn to crime | Part 1

“Government agencies are trying to identify vulnerable children at an early stage through ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, schools and other community-level programmes. The aim is to give these children the support they need and help them return to a safe and normal life,” said Jaicy, a psychosocial school counsellor at Meenadom Government Higher Secondary School in Kottayam.

Spotting problems before they grow

Many children are referred for counselling before their problems become severe. “Many students are identified at an early stage and brought for counselling. Children as young as 11 or 12 are now creating Instagram accounts and spending a lot of time on mobile phones. Excessive phone use is one of the common problems we see. When it is identified early, children can be counselled and supported,” Jaicy said.

Parents also need counselling

Support is not limited to children. Parents are also offered counselling through parenting clinics to help them understand changes in their children's behaviour and learn how to respond to them. While many parents attend these sessions, some remain reluctant to seek help. “Our only wish is to see these children recover, rebuild their lives and get the life they deserve,” Jaicy said.

Swapna TR, another counsellor attached to the Ponkunnam school, said early intervention could make a major difference. “Parents may be able to address behavioural and emotional problems before they become serious. But when these problems continue for a long time without support, helping the child becomes more difficult,” she said.

Stepping in when home is not safe

Counsellors have also come across cases in which children had to be removed from abusive homes and placed in safer environments. “There have been instances where children were taken away from abusive situations and given the support they needed. In some cases, even the parents later thanked us for stepping in and protecting their children,” Jaicy said.

Sometimes, court becomes part of rehabilitation

Rehabilitation does not always mean removing children from their homes and sending them to correctional or shelter homes. In some cases, timely court intervention can also protect a child and help change the situation.

Baby Thomas, a psychologist and member of the Senior Citizens Maintenance Tribunal in Tirur, recalled a case involving a girl who was allegedly abused by her father.

The court initially did not give the child's custody to her mother. The girl was kept in a shelter home and was later placed in the custody of her father's brother. The father had allegedly continued to harass the child for nearly 3 years. The court observed that the mother had failed to recognise the abuse and protect her daughter.

“This was a good example of court intervention. Sometimes, intervention by the court itself can become a form of correction and protection,” Baby Thomas said.