Anybody here speaks the language of trauma?

Time of India

16 hours ago

Child Welfare Committee
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The Child Welfare Committee must ensure that victims are supported by people who can communicate with the children in a language they understand
— Former Bengaluru District CWC chairperson
Bengaluru District CWC
Several minor survivors of sexual violence under the POCSO Act are unable to access counselling in Bengaluru due to language barriers, especially among migrant children from other states. NGOs working closely with survivors say many of these children, particularly those from Bengali-speaking families who have settled in the city, are left without trauma support as most available counsellors do not speak their native language.Despite the(CWC) being tasked with the responsibility to follow up on such cases and ensure proper psychological aid, families say counselling is rarely provided. BM spoke to multiple survivors and families who reported no follow-up from authorities and no access to counselling services, even after repeated visits to the CWC office.The key issues highlighted were the language barrier and an apparent lack of seriousness in providing counselling support. Many families are left struggling as their children continue to suffer mentally and psychologically, with growing fears about the long-term impact on the victims' future.In one such case, a nine-year-old girl who was raped has yet to receive any form of counselling. Her family, after failing to get support in Bengaluru, returned to West Bengal hoping she could be counselled in a language she understood. However, according to the family, no counselling was arranged there either.'We went to the CWC office in the city, but language was a major barrier. So, we travelled to Kolkata hoping things would be better there, but no one seemed to care. They told me to get my child counselled in our hometown instead,' a family member of the victim told BM. 'I explained that I feared people finding out about what happened and requested that the counselling be done in Kolkata itself, but they refused,' the relative added.'There is a lack of seriousness from the system. Several victims, especially Bengali-speaking children, continue to go without any psychological support,' a source familiar with the case said.Additionally, many survivors and their families have switched off their mobile phones, fearing exposure and social stigma if their identities are revealed. Sources also pointed out that in numerous POCSO cases, families are either pressured into silence or voluntarily withdraw complaints due to concerns over the victim's future. A significant number of these withdrawn cases involve migrant families, highlighting deeper systemic gaps in both rehabilitation and access to justice for child survivors.'The CWC must ensure that victims are supported by people who can communicate with the children in a language they understand. If the committee fails to provide that, it's simply not acceptable,' the former Chairperson of thetold BM. 'Earlier, we worked in association with language-based groups to bring in volunteers who could help counsel minor victims,' he said, which according to the victims now doesn't seem to exist anymore.