The TTPS Victim and Witness Support Unit recently hosted a group intervention programme to support female teenage victims of sexual assault.

12 female clients from the North and North Central Divisions participated in the four-day programme which ran from August 16th to 18th, with the final session on August 23rd.

According to the TTPS, the psycho-educational group intervention mainly focused on teen intervention, specifically the development of appropriate coping skills in a safe and supportive environment where participants were able to share their experiences and feelings with others who have been through similar experiences.

The final day was dedicated to parental support.

Regarding the programme, one participant said, “This has been a good experience, being around persons who went through similar things as me. I feel like I have a bond with the other girls even though it has only been three days that we met each other. I feel like I can cope better and have a better understanding of what I am experiencing.”

The TTPS says the initiative was made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Queen’s Park Counselling Centre and Clinic, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross, Prestige Holdings, Xtra Foods and the Rotary Club of Sangre Grande.