Azra Qaisar
Documentation and Communications Manager,ATC
Prerana’s Sentinel team works with minor victims rescued from commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. The team works with children through referrals from the Child Welfare Committees in the districts of Mumbai-Suburban and Thane. The team also works with child care institutions to assist in the rehabilitation of the victims after their rescue.
During a routine visit to the child care institution, a social worker came across a child, sitting alone and crying. The child, Zara (name changed), seemed visibly distressed and was incoherently speaking about how something was disturbing her. The social worker sat with the child for a while and helped her calm down. The social worker later followed up on this case with the Probation Officer at the institution, and brought it to the notice of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), requesting for Prerana to be appointed to work on the case. After due consideration, Prerana was directed to submit a Social Investigation Report (SIR), and subsequent follow-up on the case to help the child in the process of rehabilitation. In January 2019, Zara’s case (name changed) was referred to Prerana.
Through interventions, the team got to know that Zara was a victim of child sexual abuse, and commercials sexual exploitation. Her case also highlighted the challenges of working with children struggling with severe mental health issues and sensitization of caregivers and families to mental health concerns. Read more here.
