Barriers to recovery support services for child victims of sexual abuse : a narrative of refugee camps in Thailand

Abstract

The growing atrocities in the world cause immense suffering on refugee children, especially those confined in refugee camps. Child sexual abuse is prevalent in refugee camps where both male and female children are at risk of sexual abuse. NGOs in the camps provide essential services such as food, shelter, livelihood training and also focus on protection mechanisms for the refugees. Programs focusing on strengthening camp governance mechanisms including codes of conduct, child protection, and sexual and gender-based violence are formulated to give refugees some scope of protection. But these efforts are witness to setbacks. Lack of adequate funds allow limited protection mechanisms for child survivors of sexual abuse. The objective of this thesis is to look at the recovery support services provided by the NGOs to child victims of sexual abuse in Thailand's refugee camps. My research discovers similar services that are available in the camps and analyses the internal and external barriers faced by NGOs that provide support. Finally, this research draws the conclusion that due to governmental, structural, social barriers in the camps, NGOs cannot provide adequate support to child victims of abuse.