Anusha, a 12 year old visually impaired child, lives with her mother and younger brother. She shares a close relationship with her brother, and being visually impaired, depends on his support to get from one place to another. to One evening the child had gone to a shop with her younger brother to buy something, when a taxi driver who used to operate in the same area, approached her and lured her along with her brother and two other children from the neighborhood to an isolated place on the pretext of giving them a joy ride. On reaching the spot, the accused tied up the other children and took Anusha inside his taxi, where he raped her. After the incident, he threatened her and said he would kill her and her brother if she informed anyone. He then dropped them near their home. However, Anusha and her brother informed their mother about the incident, and she went to the police station and got an FIR filed. The child was taken for a medical examination and the accused was arrested the same day after being identified by Anusha’s younger brother.

This case was referred to HAQ by the Police Station. HAQ provided a support person in this case, where upon HAQ’s counselor met the child’s mother to get further details. When the counsellor met the child, she was very scared and was experiencing emotional trauma. Over time, 2 counselling sessions were held with the child and 3 with the mother.

During sessions with the child, she expressed her desire to study in a school. With help from the NGO Child line, the child was admitted to a residential facility run by the National Association for the Blind. Initially the child and her mother were upset at the thought of having to be apart from each other. However, with the help of counselling, they have settled down emotionally. HAQ is now helping the child overcome her fear and trepidations and is preparing the child for her evidence and cross-examination in the trial court.