The
Spanish clinical psychologist, Olga Martin, has set up 'Street
Heroes of India', which helps homeless children to cope with the
trauma of sexual, emotional and physical abuse
By Shevlin Sebastian
Photos by Ratheesn Sundaram
When Olga Martin was 12 years old, she went to see a film about street children in Valencia, Spain, with her parents. And during the course of the film, she saw a few scenes set in India. “The sight of the children in India moved me deeply,” she says. “From that moment on it was like a call. I felt that I had to do something.”
“There
were many care-givers who were offering food, shelter and
education,” says Olga. “But nothing was being done to heal the
trauma that the street children had gone though. Many were victims
of sex trafficking and child labour, and had suffered from all kinds
of brutalities.”
When
Olga returned to Barcelona, she prepared a project which focused on
the psychosocial aspect or emotional rehabilitation of children. “My
research revealed that 90 per cent of abused children tend to repeat
the same behaviour,” says Olga. “I felt that the chain had to be
broken. But,
to set up this project, I needed the help of an institution.”
So
Olga got in touch with Fr. Angel Asurmendi of Don Bosco, Barcelona,
who told her that she should contact their Indian branch. In
September, 2010, Olga met Fr. Kuriakose Pallikunnel, the director of
the Kochi-based Don Bosco Youth Counselling Service, who agreed to
support her.
Today,
the unit that Olga has set up, with her partner, Marita Solá, is
called 'The Street Heroes of India'. “This consists of a group of
professionals, based in Spain and India, who provide psychosocial
training to caregivers and counselling to children,” says Olga.
This scheme is now functioning at 17 centres of Don Bosco in Kerala
and Karnataka.
Many
of the children have escaped from places like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Mostly, they go to the railway
station. If they do not fall into the hands of criminals, they take
a train and go anywhere. “When I do art therapy work, the children
always draw a train,” says Olga. “Because it is the train that
has helped them to overcome their situation.”
Olga
narrates the case of Shanti. One day, when she was five years old,
Shanti was waiting in the railway station at Chennai with her
mother. Suddenly, a woman, carrying a baby, came up and told
Shanti's mother, “I am tired. My baby needs food. Can you buy
something for me?”
When
the mother went to buy something, leaving Shanti with the woman, a
train arrived. The woman took Shanti and went inside a bogie. They
travelled to Bangalore. For the next 11 years, the woman forced
Shanti to have sexual relations with all types of men. And it was
only at age 16 that Shanti managed to get up the courage to escape
to Kochi. At the station the police spotted her. They took her to
Don Bosco at Palluruthy, a suburb of Kochi.
Thereafter, Olga stepped in to help. “Healing can be done through counselling, music, drama, art and dance therapy,” she says. “I encouraged Shanti to talk about her life. And now, after two years, she feels much better.” In fact, in a letter to Olga, Shanti wrote, 'This is the first time in my life that I have shared my sufferings with someone. Please don’t talk about this to anybody. I need you.'
There
are many cases like Shanti. In fact, a recent UNICEF report provided
the alarming figure that 39 per cent of the girls and 40 per cent of
boys in Kerala have been sexually abused. “This is usually done
by family members, like fathers, uncles, and other relatives,”
says Olga.
A
worried Olga says that there is an urgent need for sex education in
schools. “Children should be taught to identify between a good and
a bad touch,” she says.
(Sunday
Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)
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