By Boom Mosby | Director
In September, our team was contacted by the police to help provide psychological counseling and social work support for a 16-year-old girl. She became a victim of online sexual exploitation and revenge porn. The perpetrator distributed her images to classmates at school, and eventually someone reported it to a teacher. As a result, she was forced to leave school and has been unable to continue her education.
The impact on her life has been devastating. She began harming herself repeatedly, and the pain extended beyond her alone—her parents have also suffered deeply as they watched their daughter endure such trauma.
Our team became involved from the very beginning, supporting the fact-finding process and ensuring that she could meet with our psychologist on a weekly basis. I met her on the first day she came to provide information, in my role as a child interviewer. From the start, this case was particularly challenging. The main evidence account had already been closed, and we received no support or information from her former school, which made the investigation extremely difficult.
The first two months were especially hard. Therapy was difficult to begin because she held on tightly to one hope: that the offender would be punished. At the same time, she did not want to take the medication prescribed by a psychiatrist because the side effects made everyday life even more difficult for her.
However, through the dedication of our counseling and social work teams, as well as the strong cooperation from her parents—who brought her to every weekly appointment on time—she slowly began to stabilize.
In early December, I received an update from our team that the investigation might have to be terminated. The evidence had become too weak, and it might not be sufficient to request a search warrant. Our social work team was also concerned that if we informed the family at that stage, it could severely affect the girl’s mental health and cause her to spiral again.
At that moment, I asked myself and our team:
“Have we truly done enough before we decide to end this investigation?”
I arranged another meeting with the girl and asked her parents to join, hoping to gather more information. That day, I noticed she looked brighter than when I first met her. I spoke to her honestly, explaining that her case was extremely challenging. She paused, and then said something that left me speechless:
“I just saw my friend posting congratulations because he got into university… while I’m still like this.”
That single sentence captured the full weight of what she had lost—not only her safety and dignity, but also her future and her sense of normal teenage life. I told her that we would take her information back to our team, re-evaluate the case, and do everything possible to pursue justice for her.
After that, our team met again with the police and also consulted with the prosecutor for guidance. Once everyone heard how deeply the victim was still suffering, we agreed that we would continue to try our very best to bring justice to her—because while the offender continues living normally, she and her family have been living in ongoing pain.
We have now divided responsibilities and set a date to meet again after the New Year to assess progress and next steps. Although the investigation has not yet reached a successful conclusion, something important has happened: she has regained more determination and hope to keep living.
This progress would not be possible without the commitment and compassion of our counseling team and social workers. Their steady support, weekly sessions, and trauma-informed approach have been essential in helping her move forward little by little—especially as the legal process remains difficult and uncertain. Healing takes time, and without ongoing emotional support, the burden of this case could become unbearable for a young survivor.
We also want to express our deep gratitude to the police in Region 5 for taking this case seriously and working alongside us with care and professionalism.
Finally, to our donors—thank you. Your support makes it possible for HUG Project to provide counseling and social work services not only for this survivor, but also for many other children and families who are navigating the trauma of exploitation and abuse. Because of you, survivors are not alone. Your generosity brings real help, real protection, and real hope.
Please keep this case in your prayers, that justice will be done—and that this young girl and her family will one day experience full healing, restoration, and peace.
By Boom Mosby | Director
By Boom Mosby | Director
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