“My parents died, and I don’t have a family.”
Rebuilding a life with family following sexual assault, trauma and isolation
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Timor (not his real name) is an 11-year-old boy, who was referred by the Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs (MoLSA) to the Boy’s Shelter in Kabul on 23 Dec 2019. At the time of admission,
Timor was mentally disturbed and stressed. His parents were separated from each other for two
years, and since then, Timor was living with his mother, as per her request at the time of separation.
After separation, Timor’s mother remarried, and thus she was not able to keep him with herself.
His father also had problems with him, and therefore, Timor’s responsibility was given to his uncle,
who lives in Kabul province, District 17. However, his uncle failed to take care of Timor, and one
day when he was walking on a street, suddenly, an unknown person deceived him and took him to
Paghman district. The unknown person kept Timor for 4 hours in a garden called Dawod garden
and sexually assaulted him.
Timor managed to escape from the perpetrator after he was sexually assaulted. He ran outside the
garden and while he was running, both Timor and the perpetrator were faced with police and
arrested. The police then introduced them to the primary court. When Timor’s family was
informed, they refused to have anything to do with him. He was then introduced to MoLSA, who
referred him to the Boy’s Shelter operated by Youth Health and Development Organization
(YHDO).
With financial and technical support from the Colombo Plan (CP), YHDO operates a shelter for
boys who are subject to violence, including trafficking and sexual violence. The main purpose of
this work is to improve access to justice for boy survivors and those at risk of experiencing violence
and trafficking in Afghanistan through the provision of protection and support services in a safe
place. The boys are provided shelter, psychological, legal support, to enhance their social abilities
while developing skills that build confidence, self-esteem, and improve the social status of the
victims and facilitate further reintegration into society and/or with their families.
Once in the shelter, Timor was very afraid and mentally disturbed. He said, “my parents have
died, and I don’t have a family.”
After eight psychosocial and legal counseling sessions conducted in a confidential environment,
the shelter team has been successful in building trust with him, and he has subsequently disclosed
his story and relevant information about his identity. As soon as the social workers and legal officer
understood his story and identity, they started processing his case in the court and through the
mediation process with his father, for family reintegration and legal representation by YHDO legal
officer in the court. In the beginning, Timor’s father was furious with him and did not accept Timor
since he felt that his child had not shared his troubles at the time they took place. However,
following repeated interventions by the social workers and legal officer, he was convinced to
participate in Timor’s case in the court with the shelter legal officer. After four months of advocacy
and follow up of his case in the court, Timor’s case was closed, and according to the court’s

decision, the perpetrator was charged for rape of a child and sentenced for two years in
prison based on Article 637, 98 and 108 of the Penal Code.
Timor said, “I got really afraid and (was) feeling guilty when I was raped. I tried hard to go back
home, but the shame (social stigma) and my guilty feelings did not allow me to do that, and I got
afraid if my family know about the case, they will reject me”. After closing his case in the court,
YHDO social workers and the legal officer continued the mediation process with his father and
told to him that he is vulnerable for re-victimization if we give him to his uncle or mother again.
Finally, after four months of legal counseling and mediation efforts, his father was convinced,
and Timor was returned to his father.
Timor’s father said, “we are grateful to YHDO for finding our son and providing the services, and
that I am responsible for my son and will provide education and other requirements as I am
providing for my older son.”
While Timor was living in the shelter, he received basic education, understood family rights and
the importance of living with family, and got ready to start school. The shelter provided him school
bags, books, notebooks, and other required equipment so that he is able to continue his education.
As per the social worker’s follow-ups, he now lives happily with his father and older brother.