Helen Young has worked in child protection for more than 30 years, but what she found in Nepal still shocked her.
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The Jervis Bay child psychologist recently returned from working with children and young women who have experienced sexual trafficking.
Helen worked alongside three other women to help the girls, aged between under 10 and 16.
“Nepal is the third poorest country in the world and since the earthquake, a lot of the girls lost family and homes and so the traffickers pounced,” Helen said.
“Some are sold by their parents and some are tricked into thinking there’s going to be work.”
Helen worked alongside local women, some who have been trafficked themselves, to set up shelters for the girls and help them work through their trauma. They also trained the local women on how to deliver sexual health programs to the young girls.
Cultural beliefs provided some of the biggest barriers.
“One of the biggest problems over there is menstruation is seen as a bad thing, girls are told they’re dirty, and they’re hit by their mothers,” Helen said.
“When they get their first period they’re locked in the shed because the belief is that if men see the girls when they’re bleeding, the men will be cursed, and if the girls touch the crops, then the crops will die.
“A lot of the girls see their bodies as bad.”
During her time in Nepal, Helen helped run an education program for the young women.
They were educated on their bodies, their reproductive systems and were given time to talk about their trauma, if they wanted.
Yoga therapy also helped them shift hatred away from their bodies.
“Some of them were saying ‘we haven’t looked in the mirror since we started bleeding’ and by the end of the week they were actually appreciating their bodies – even their posture changed,” Helen said.
“We had two 19-year-olds who heard we were there and they walked for two days through the mountains to get to us.
“When they first got there they couldn’t even look at us but by the end of the week they were laughing and even did a traditional dance. It was just beautiful.”
All Helen’s work in Nepal is self-funded and while she’s now returned home, the therapeutic and educational programs continue to help girls in Nepal.
To continue their work, Helen has organised a fundraising art and craft market on Saturday, September 9 at the Huskisson Community Centre.
Local artists will be selling their works at a range of prices, along with ceramics and homemade jams and treats.
There will also be a pop-up cafe. Helen said the Rose Petal Cafe will “symbolise the fragility and strength of young women.”
It will get underway from 3pm until 6.30pm. Entry is by gold coin donation.
All money raised at the event will also help provide Nepalese girls with education services and skills such as sewing and how to clean houses.