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Myada said she liked to play with her close friend , to visit the park with her mother , and to read books . The psychologist recommended some books that talk about happiness , courage and fun .
From then , every session Myada would talk about the book she had read and she and the psychologist discussed her feelings about what she had read .
Myada is very close to her mother . She wants to be with her all the time . Her mother played a vital role in supporting and comforting her . Myada almost regained her confidence that she had someone she could trust , who would protect her .
The psychologist suggested to the teachers in Myada ’ s school that , to boost Myada ’ s confidence and increase her social participation , they should encourage her to participate in the school assembly and give her leadership tasks .
Myada began to feel safe and secure . She started to form a social network with the people around her .
Myada now has more trust in people , including men . She still feels uncomfortable when she talks about her father but tolerates meeting him .
The story of Sheila , ten years old , Nicaragua
Sheila
The story shows :
• Assaulted by a neighbour when she was ten years old .
• The family decided not to report the assault .
• The family took her out of school to protect her .
Sheila was born in a fishing community on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua . She was loved by her mother and grandmother . Over the years two younger brothers arrived . Sheila was a happy girl and grew up like other children from the indigenous and Afro-descendant communities of the Caribbean region . She played in a large garden round their home . At school , she participated in sports and cultural activities . On Sundays she went with her family to mass . She was a girl with the traditional values of her community .
At the age of nine , she began to help round the house . She cleaned , did laundry , cooked and carried drinking water from the well . She was happy to help her grandmother while her parents were at work .
A few days after her tenth birthday , Sheila met a neighbour at the well . The neighbour said : “ Come , I have a birthday present for you ”. Naively , Sheila followed him . “ What are you going to give me ?” “ You will see !” he said .
APPENDIX
The neighbour took her to the outskirts of her community where he raped her . He immediately left the community for fear of retaliation from the girl ’ s family . When they found Sheila , she was in a terrible physical and emotional state . The family decided to heal her physical wounds at home , with herbs and home remedies ; but her emotional wounds went unnoticed .
The family decided not to report the abuse because they were afraid Sheila would be misjudged by the community . They took the view that “ problems must be solved at home !” Reporting to the police would make the rape public . In their region , sexuality is taboo : no one talks about it openly .