What is needed for good networking between the partner organizations? How closely do the various specialists work together to provide victims with the best possible support? Answers are provided by three anonymized examples from everyday child and youth counselling.

Good networking between the partner organizations is key. The closer the various specialists work together, the better the victims can be supported.

Three anonymized examples from the everyday life of child and youth counselling show how the Basel Victim Support network works in practice. Depending on the case, other partners may be involved.

Example 1
We have been advising a young woman for over a year. First in secondary school, then in year 10. The meetings took place at school and were arranged with the school social workers and class teachers so that no information was passed on to the parents.

The young woman was beaten daily at home, put under pressure and severely restricted in her freedom of movement. It was checked via a tracking service. As a punishment, she was not allowed to leave her room. In addition, the father and brother regularly checked her cell phone and laptop.

The young woman repeatedly said that she had to prevent an escalation at all costs, as she was facing death threats and a forced marriage in her home country.

For anonymous consultations, we called in the KESB and the cantonal police threat management . These also took place at the school. In the end, the young woman decided to break away from her family and find a safe place elsewhere in Switzerland.

Example 2
We have been supporting a mother whose son has been affected by sexualized violence from his father for several months. The son kept the assaults he had experienced to himself for a long time. Eventually he managed to confide in his mother and criminal proceedings were initiated against the father.

In several conversations with the mother – and also the boy – it became clear that it was very important for both of them to disclose the allegations against the father to the siblings in a timely manner. This required a sensible and safe setting for all participants. The mother feared that her children would react with strong emotions if they learned that their father was accused of a crime against their brother. Consequently, it had to be ensured that any reactions could be dealt with professionally.

Within a very short time, we managed to get a psychologist from the Basel Family, Couples and Educational Counseling Service (fabe) for this disclosure meeting, and we made an appointment promptly and unbureaucratically. During this meeting, we were able to support the mother and her children in matters of victim support law and at the same time set up a therapeutic setting for the whole family.

Example 3
We advise the parents of two primary school children who have been affected by sexualized violence. As a result of an argument between the children, the parents found out by chance that their children had experienced sexual assault in the context of external childcare. The parents then sought help from a pediatric gynecologist at a children’s hospital. During the consultation, an assessment was made as to whether a gynecological examination would be useful and expedient under the given circumstances. For further advice and assistance in dealing with the situation, the medical specialist referred the parents to the Basel Victim Support Center.

In the counseling session, we informed the parents about our responsibilities, the rights enshrined in the Victim Assistance Act and the support services available. In order to obtain advice on specific legal issues in connection with possible criminal charges, we put them in touch with a law firm.