Helping children recover from trauma

Violence against children is widespread, and the impact of violence on children extends beyond the physical injuries to have lasting psychosocial consequences. The Children’s Act outlines government’s obligation to prevent violence against children, protect child victims from further harm, and support and treat children who have experienced violence to restore them to physical and psychological well-being. Early access to therapeutic support for traumatised children helps mitigate negative effects such as violence and riskybehaviour, depression, anxiety and suicide, and ensure better outcomes in the long term. But little is known about current models of therapeutic care for child sexual abuse (CSA) victims in South Africa, or their efficacy in facilitating psychological recovery. This research brief examines a local, innovative, therapeutic programme for sexually abused children living in rural areas, and considers what kind of therapeutic responses are appropriate in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC)