Provide Counseling & Support to Sexually Abused

To protect her identity, identifying details have been changed.

For nearly three years, an eight-year-old girl tried to ask for help. She reached out to her mother and teachers, but her distress often showed up as silence, distraction, or withdrawal. While adults around her noticed she was struggling and noticeably underweight, her home remained unsafe due to ongoing sexual abuse and extreme financial hardship.

In August, the HUG Project received a referral through the Side Impact Foundation. Recognizing the immediate risk, our social workers coordinated an urgent response alongside the Chiang Mai Child and Family Shelter, Rapha International Foundation, and local child-protection partners.

Within 48 hours, team members worked with a Child Protection Officer to safely remove her from the home and transition her into protective care with Rapha International. Our multidisciplinary team ensured her immediate needs—medical care, nutritious food, stable shelter, and basic comfort—were prioritized right away.

To support the legal process without causing further trauma, a trained team conducted a child forensic interview at our Chiang Mai Child Advocacy Center. In a safe, neutral space designed to make her feel secure, she was finally able to share her story. We then prepared the formal report for law enforcement to support the formal process while keeping her well-being at the forefront.

Today, she is adjusting to a safe, supportive environment. Her caregivers track her daily health, sleep, and emotional recovery, while HUG coordinates specialized, age-appropriate trauma counseling.

Beyond emergency response and crisis care, the HUG Project is committed to stopping abuse before it starts. We actively train students, teachers, and school staff across the community to recognize the subtle warning signs of abuse, understand body safety, and build clear paths for reporting. By equipping classrooms with the tools to spot red flags early, we ensure that more children are heard, protected, and supported long before crisis hits.

Healing is a long process that requires consistent care and deep patience. Your support allows the HUG Project to act quickly in crisis, provide safe forensic interviews, educate communities, and walk alongside child survivors every step of the way. Thank you for showing this young girl—and so many others—that she is not alone.