Safe Haven II:

Supporting young survivors of sexual violence and contributing to the reduction and eradication of gender-based violence against girls in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

The Department of Protection of Girls and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, is the current shelter Horizons and PIES are supporting, for young girls who are survivors of sexual abuse including pregnant mothers and babies. Through Horizons' original work with our partner PIES and with your support, we have been able to increase infrastructure in this shelter, provide medical and educational supplies, improve the facility's equipment, and increase quality care for the girls and adolescents during their time residing at the shelter. This shelter however continues to face overcrowding, with 629 girls and adolescents cared for between January and June of 2024 alone; including 178 babies from one month to one year old. This is a major indication that the shelter, its residents, and current staff still need our support.

Partners:

Association for Health Promotion, Research, and Education (PIES)

Location:

Department of Protection of Girls and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence, a shelter located in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Causes:

Community Health; Violence against women & femicide.

Start Date:

February 2025-December 2027.

Background

OBJECTIVE:

To continue addressing the systemic crisis in care that young, female survivors of sex trafficking and sexual violence experience while living in government-run shelters in Guatemala, by improving the health system itself, and ensuring that survivors receive individualized, trauma-informed care that is rooted in warmth, patience, and cultural safety.

PROJECT GOALS AND ANTICIPATED RESULTS:

The key focus areas for Safe Haven II, are to (1) empower girls and adolescents, including pregnant girls and adolescent mothers, in exercising their sexual and reproductive rights, (2) reduce gender-based violence and increase knowledge on trauma-informed care at an institutional level, and (3) provide girls and adolescent mothers with skills for life, empowering them to generate economic income for their sustainability and future.

With the continuation of this project, the goal of Safe Haven II is to contribute to the prevention and eradication of human rights violations of girls and adolescents under the Department of Protection for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. This will be done through:

1. Imparting knowledge and skills through workshops that promote self-esteem, human rights (with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive rights), Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), prevention of pregnancy in girls and adolescents, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), violence prevention, and reporting pathways to foster their integral development free from violence, as well as life planning workshops.

2. Healing processes will be conducted to strengthen the mental health of young girls, including group and individual therapy sessions with professional care, and facilitating conditions for the start or continuation of their formal education along with training for their proper social reintegration with family support if conditions allow.

3. Promote and motivate the start of income generation for future economic independence for them and their child, in the case of pregnant girls and adolescent mothers.

Further, the project will focus on providing training to current and future personnel in medicine, psychology, social work, and nursing, to shelter staff, and to decision-makers in the education, and health sectors, as well as staff working in the Department of Protection. The goal of these processes will be to raise awareness about differentiated trauma-informed care, which does not further violate the rights of survivors, and to ensure there are existing protocols for care routes and referral pathways that are survivor-centred. In particular, given the extensive experience of PIES, the work with the health system and personnel will be focused on improving the quality of care that survivors receive and ensuring that this care is comprehensive and culturally relevant.