2
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Who is this manual for ? What you will learn
This manual is written for helpers and caregivers who work with vulnerable children and their families in war , conflict , humanitarian crises and particularly in low resource communities . Its purpose is to assist helpers and caregivers who meet children exposed to sexual abuse . It is designed primarily for use in training workshops but can also be read individually . Its addresses helpers and caregivers who meet children in their daily lives and who can assist children through play , teaching and socialising . Though they have different roles , the work of helpers and caregivers has much in common .
This is not a therapy manual . It contains exercises which helpers can use with good therapeutic effect . These exercises can be used in training workshops with other helpers or individually with a child . Icons in the margin of the text indicate the purposes of different exercises : for discussion , to sensitise helpers in a workshop , tools for working with abused children , etc .
Sexual abuse occurs all over the world but even more often during wars , conflict , humanitarian crises and in low resource communities , which are generally characterised by poor enforcement of the rule of law , the breakdown of social and family structures , and social discrimination . This manual has been developed for use in situations where helpers , caregivers and humanitarian workers have limited or no access to specialised health services . We hope it will also be useful to those who work with sexual abuse in wealthier countries and countries that are stable .
The manual is therefore written primarily for helpers and caregivers , not only for psychologists and psychiatrists . What do we mean by ‘ helpers ’? Helpers work in a variety of professional capacities . Some have caring for abused children as their primarily function , others may meet them less often . We refer to employees in public or non-governmental organisations ( NGOs ), such as social workers , nurses , schoolteachers , and volunteers , who in the course of their work come across and assist children who have been exposed to sexual violence , need psychosocial help and support , or should be referred to specialised primary and secondary health services . Caregivers or carers include parents , relatives or others who care for or support children in everyday life , as well as professional caregivers who work in institutions and foster homes . We use the term helper for the both groups , except where the role of a caregiver is explicitly mentioned .
1.2 How to read the manual
The manual can be used to support formal teaching and supervision , group trainings , or personal study ( alone or in groups ). First of all , it is a collection of useful advice and ideas and seeks to be a practical resource . It contains practical exercises and tools . Also , it brings together background knowledge that can be of value when talking with children who have been exposed to sexual abuse or violence . In addition , it links human rights to practical work with children . Because many children have been exposed to serious human rights violations , helpers should make themselves aware of the relationship between abuses of human rights and provision of care and assistance to children .