The client, a 13-year-old girl, was sexually assaulted (raped) by a boy from her neighbourhood whom she had met through a friend. She did not disclose the incident to her mother immediately. Several days later, while returning home from visiting a friend, she encountered the same boy again. He approached her and physically assaulted her in public.Friends who witnessed the assault ran to inform the client’s mother, explaining that her daughter was being beaten. The mother immediately intervened and stopped the assault. Upon returning home, the mother questioned the client, at which point the girl disclosed that she had been raped by the boy a few days earlier. The mother promptly reported the matter to the police, opened a case of rape, and arranged for the client to receive psychological support. The client attended three sessions with a psychologist before being referred to the Teddy Bear Foundation for specialised counselling.
Age-appropriate therapy helps survivor to identify anger triggers and develop effective coping strategies
Intervention
At the Teddy Bear Foundation, the student counsellor established a strong therapeutic rapport with the client using age-appropriate social skills and therapeutic techniques. From the very first session, the client was cooperative and open, willingly sharing her experiences.The client presented with significant anger, particularly directed towards her family members, although no behavioural difficulties were reported at school.To address her anger, the counsellor introduced role-play exercises that allowed the client to practise healthy and constructive responses to frustration and conflict. She was also provided with take-home activities designed to help her identify anger triggers and develop effective coping strategies. These interventions proved effective over time, enabling the client to better recognise her emotional responses and manage them in healthier ways.The entire intervention was guided by a trauma-informed counselling approach.
Outcomes
According to feedback from the client’s mother, the client showed marked improvements in her behaviour and family relationships compared to the period when she was only receiving support from the psychologist. She developed more positive and healthier ways of interacting with her family, significantly strengthened her emotional regulation skills, and came to a clear understanding that the sexual assault was not her fault.The counselling process helped restore the client’s sense of self-worth and played an important role in supporting her ongoing healing journey.
