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INTRODUCTION
What , how and why
Helpers are always looking for sound tools and information that assist them practically on how to help exposed children . In this manual we try to provide exactly that . But in order to give good help , more knowledge is needed . We need to understand what is happening in the brain , in the body , in the thoughts , emotions and behaviour of a child who has been sexually abused . We also need to understand why children react in certain ways when they experience trauma and why we believe the tools we recommend are effective . Some reactions are very common , but at the same time every child and every child ’ s experiences are unique , influenced by the context , pre-trauma experiences , the individual ’ s personality and different resilience factors . A helper cannot therefore apply tools blindly but must adjust them to meet the needs and circumstances of each individual child . Helpers can do this by considering the mechanisms that underpin trauma ( the ‘ what ’) and why various tools are able to address them ( the ‘ why ’).
1.2.1 The manual ’ s structure
Part One provides practical information about the manual , its purpose , use and structure . It is followed by four original stories about abuse , which are based on real cases that were sent into us from Afghanistan , Brazil , India , Nepal , Nicaragua , Northern Iraq / Kurdistan , South Africa , and Sudan . Their main purpose is to describe the behavioural and psychological reactions of child survivors of sexual violence concretely , so that children ’ s experiences and responses are recognisable in other situations .
The stories evoke individual and cultural differences in order to assist caregivers and helpers to understand children ’ s reactions and support them in the best possible way . They reflect the diversity of individual experiences ; but they share common features in that they all describe experiences of direct or indirect violence and abuse . The stories play a key role in the manual and are referred to in the text . They can also be used metaphorically , as proxies for events that children find difficult to talk about directly .
Part Two discusses the helper ’ s role and responsibility , and how helpers can strengthen their skills . In addition , it considers how to be a good helper and how to create space for difficult conversations .
Part Three discusses what is useful to know when you are working with children who have been sexual abused . It describes theories that explain trauma reactions , and explains how trauma and sexual abuse affect the brain , development and attachment . It also discusses the way children think , their survival strategies , and their resilience . It introduces some key topics , including principles of human rights and the human rights-based approach . A section then discusses how to notice and interpret vulnerabilities , a skill that can assist helpers to identify children who may have been abused or are in a vulnerable situation in other ways . Part Three also describes the different trauma reactions that children can experience after sexual violation . The idea is to show the characteristics of such experiences and what children are likely to struggle with after they have been abused .
Part Four discusses ‘ useful forms of help ’, practical skills and techniques that helpers can draw on when they work with sexually abused children . This Part includes information about how children express trauma and how to create conditions in which children feel safe , as well as exercises , tools and information on understanding and managing children ’ s emotions .
This Part includes Questions to reflect on , and tools . It can be useful to practise different tools with a colleague . Through role plays , you can rehearse interventions , psychoeducation techniques , and practice applying the case stories . The text speaks of ‘ tools ’ and ‘ toolboxes ’ to denote some