Sakhya Women's Guidance Cell

Helping victim of sexual abuse by the father

During the regular screening visit, social worker came across Priya (the name changed) aged 12 years. She was sad and depressed and not in a state to speak. The social workers then daily visited her to inquire about her health and enable her to open up.   She lost her mother when she was 2 years’ old and was then looked after by her father.  When she hit puberty her father started sexually abusing her and also began to bring along his friends who in turn also abused her.  She was not able to decide whether it was appropriate to have relations with her father; only when she did not menstruate did she speak to her neighbor. The neighbor filed a complaint with the police station and her father was arrested while she was sent to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Subsequently she was admitted to Thane civil hospital for further medical investigations which confirmed that she was pregnant.  Upon further medical tests and DNA results it was confirmed that the putative father of the unborn child was her own biological father. 

During her entire stay in the hospital the counselors regularly visited her to boost her morale and increase her self confidence.  She was given information about prenatal and post natal care, diet regime, the importance of good sleep and rest and to overall maintain a healthy and positive attitude in order to increase her coping capacity to face the tragedy that had befallen her.   She was also provided with information about the Manodhairya scheme wherein she can appeal for compensation as a victim of rape.

On 18^th May Priya delivered a baby girl; she experienced post partum depression and refused to feed and nurse the baby regularly.  The counselors helped her and motivated her to nurse the child and to take care of the child and herself as she also began neglecting her health post the delivery. She became very indecisive and unsure about the future of the child and about her own future.  She also expressed that she did not want to keep the child.  Meanwhile the CWC had decided that the child would be relinquished and surrendered for adoption to an agency and she was informed about the decisions to which she had no objection.  She gradually began to respond to the counselors and was willing to talk and open up to them and share her mental dispositions and difficulties.