Provide 100 Hours of Victim Counseling & Support

115 counseling sessions were provided by HUG Project's counselor from June through early October 2020. The number of clients increased during the entire month of July. Due to the situation from COVID-19, students were not allowed to attend school during this month and spent most of their time in the online world. In more than 70 cases we worked together with the police in order to prosecute the online perpetrators. As a result, we got counseling clients referred from some of those cases. However, most victims contacted us through online channels for counseling sessions. We got 5 new clients aged 13-20 at the beginning of July, however, it was challenging to get the commitment of the clients who are young and not able to fully concentrate. One of the key challenges was the misunderstanding of counseling and its benefits. Counseling is still being slowly introduced into Thailand’s culture, but not many people fully understand the concept of the service. Many people perceive counseling as mental health support for those who struggle with mental health dysfunction. Therefore, some parents did not agree to let their children continue the online sessions with our counselor despite our best efforts. 

HUG Project was allowed to re-start face-to-face services and gained 3 new clients at the beginning of August. We were able to better connect with the young clients as well as communicate with their parents/ caregivers. Their parents/caregivers took charge of bringing their child to see us and they were supportive of their children. Feedback from one of our caregivers was that she could connect with her child increasingly more after spending time together on the way to the service center weekly. She was more aware of how traumatized her child was and asked suggestions from us.

The lockdown from COVID has helped to alleviate most health concerns for transmission of the virus, but has increased the needs for counseling from those who are depressed due to lack of social interration and those who, through increased online exposure, have seen inceasingly risky activity.  At least once per week, we have someone contact us who has shared something sensitive with another new friend online, only to find this new friend has then blakcmailed them to send more or find their pictures posted online.  At HUG Project we fight for justice for victims and the counseling and education to prevent these risky behaviors being used to lure others into this no-win situtation.  

Links:

• HUG Project website