Little Butterflies: supporting abused kids, Brazil

Dear Donors,

September 23 is the International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Children, a date that seeks to raise awareness of the seriousness of these violent acts. This day highlights the need to protect human rights and promote effective policies to prevent and fight against sexual exploitation, which affects millions of people around the world.

Sexual violence against children and teenagers is a practice that still occurs very often throughout Brazil. For this reason, our commitment to Manaus’ minors who are victims of violence doesn’t stop. Given the ever-increasing number of children suffering abuse and exploitation, from October, there will be a new figure in the “Little Butterflies” project team: a psychologist who will provide support to help an increasing number of children overcome past traumas. During the new psychological assistance service, minors will be helped in sessions together with their families. The psychologist will meet with Manaus families twice a week in small groups. The first meetings will serve to get to know the families and their internal dynamics and, subsequently, if the psychologist deems it necessary, personalized psychological paths will be structured based on the specific cases analyzed. In addition, legal and health assistance continues to be essential to help children overcome the scars left by sexual violence.

Aleimar, in collaboration with the local partner Archdiocese Psychological Support Service for Families (SAPFAM) of Manaus, knows how important it is to raise awareness on the issue of violence against minors. Training sessions were conducted on the topics of protection and rights of children and adolescents, attended by public and civil society actors and operators who work in services for the defense of minors. These meetings are important to understand how crucial it is to recognize, address and prevent situations of abuse and violence that undermine the psychophysical development of children. Moreover, it’s essential to stay updated to identify signs of distress, intervene promptly and provide adequate support.

Thank you for supporting our project! Together, we can help young victims of sexual violence to overcome traumas and grow up in a safe and protected environment.

Dear Donors,

According to data from the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights, 17,500 cases of violence against children and teenagers were registered in Brazil in 2023, recording an increase of 68% compared to the previous year. An extremely worrying fact is that almost 14,000 violations were committed in the domestic environment by the victim's family members. These violations include rape, physical and sexual abuse, psychological violence and sexual exploitation. These facts wound human dignity and deprive minors of their childhood and the joy of living, leaving indelible scars in their memory. Power structures, both political and economic, are rife with violations against children, and impunity still prevails. Furthermore, these cases of violence are naturalized in the culture and a new mindset should be established to overcome such a terrible wound.

Given that violations against minors represent an enormous problem for Brazil, it is essential to promote concrete actions capable of addressing this reality of cruelty that many children and teenagers experience. Our local partner, the Manaus Archdiocese Psychological Support Service for Families (SAPFAM), plays a fundamental role by operating daily in the city of Manaus, providing a space for protection and care for minors who are victims of abuse and violence. Through specific methodologies, the objective is to reduce the damage caused by sexual violence and coordinate care in synergy with the network for the protection of the rights of children and adolescents, which consists of Cáritas Arquidiocesana, Specialized Reference Center for Social Assistance (CREAS), Assistance Service for Victims of Sexual Violence (SAVVIS) and Specialized Police Commissioner for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (DEPCA).

Thanks to the Little Butterflies project, 86 children between the ages of 6 and 14 were treated in 2023 by a team of SAPFAM psychologists. Psychological and social assistance services are carried out weekly, with two-hour sessions. Compared to the previous year, there are 36 new cases of children and teenagers who had suffered violence (32 females and 4 males). Furthermore, thanks to networking, it is possible to provide them with legal and healthcare assistance, which is essential to reduce the repercussions of sexual violence.

Thanks to your support, we will be able to help more and more children have access to the psychological, health and legal assistance they need to overcome traumas. Thank you for being part of this project!