CSJ seeks to raise $25000 or INR 17 Lakh, through the True Justice Heals campaign. With just ten more days remaining for the campaign to end, help us bring healing to survivors of sexual abuse, and to children who have caused harm and now want to make amends. Donate now through our website or to our campaign on Ketto.
Nafisa is a fifteen-year-old girl who studies in the tenth grade and loves to draw. She is strong, vivacious and kind. And she is on a difficult path to healing from sexual violence perpetrated against her, by her biological father. Nafisa was sexually abused by her father for years before her case was reported. After the initial abuse, when Nafisa confided in her mother, she did not believe her and did not let Nafisa report the abuse. Nafisa decided she wanted to go and stay with her relatives where she would be safe. She stayed with them for a few months, however on returning home her father started abusing her again. The child felt trapped and desperate for someone to come to her rescue. Since her mother did not believe what was happening, Nafisa felt there was no way out. Until one day, she decided to tape a conversation with her father who was threatening her and made her family listen to it. Finally, they believed her and were truly sorry for not doing so earlier. The case then got reported and is ongoing. CSJ works with Nafisa and her family, to assist her legally in court and to provide her with psychosocial support. While Nafisa now has support from her family and from us to help her get justice and to heal from the abuse, her story is also the story of hundreds of girls and boys who have had to go through incidents of long term sexual violence which could have been averted if the family had chosen to listen and to believe them. Data from 2015 National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) report shows that 95.5% victims of sexual abuse know their abusers. Cases of incest are more common than general opinion would like to confirm. However uncomfortable the truth, it will not change unless we are willing to listen to it, to engage with it and to do something to change it for the better. The very first step towards this is to engage with a child who alleges sexual abuse instead of being dismissive. This is where the role of the family and the community is crucial, like in Nafisa’s case. If you would like to do something to support children like Nafisa, who CSJ works directly with, please donate to our True Justice Heals campaign. Help us bring true justice and healing to them. Written by: Shreeradha Mishra Shreeradha is a social justice worker currently collaborating with CSJ to create their True Justice Heals campaign.