As researchers, we come into communities and interview very vulnerable children. Due to the nature of our job, we can never offer any services or interventions. At every community meeting someone asks the question: So how do we benefit from your research? Will you bring water, schools, a clinic and help to our community.
The only answer we can give is to reassure the people that every result gained from the data is fed back to the government to improve policy which might help them in the long run - if it is ever put into practice.
However, we have a moral obligation to help children at risk of significant harm. Unfortunately, since we are not trained counsellors, therapists or even social workers (well with one exception) we have to refer to the services available in the community.
Two weeks ago whilst still in Nelspruit we interviewed a 15 year old girl who had been raped every day by her neighbor between the ages of 5 and 12. Not a single day went past where he left her alone. Our interviewer was the first person she had ever disclosed this to. She also asked for help because she sees this man every single day of her life. So we went to talk to her to explain, that we are not trained to help her and that we will refer her to an appropriate service where she can access long term support.
Two weeks and about three hundred phone calls later I have finally managed to find a counsellor in her community who does not insist that she has to report her case to the police and who agreed to take her on. I can not believe how many people are in positions where they should be able to offer help but when asked refuse to do so for the most hideous reasons: she has to open a case with the police first, she is a minor, she is not beeing raped at the moment, I am not on duty today....
1 comment:
puh heftig. was für eine stärke von diesem mädchen.
a-m
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