A 13-year-old Ethiopian girl has brought about an 11-year prison sentence for a family member who raped and trafficked her.
Tsehay* refused to be silenced by repeated threats and physical intimidation from the man’s supporters outside the court, remaining determined to play her part in ensuring he was brought to justice.
An uncle first trafficked Tsehay to the capital, Addis Ababa, at the age of just six. Over the next seven years, she never had the chance to play, go to school or make friends. She was moved around various relatives’ homes and forced to work. Tsehay was raped twice by the family member during this time.
She called some other relatives to ask for help. They came to Addis Ababa and took her to the police and to hospital, and the perpetrator was subsequently arrested. But Tsehay’s relatives gradually abandoned her as they fully understood the consequences of their involvement.
Once again alone, Tsehay was referred to Hope for Justice by the police. When our team first met her, she was fearful and anxious. She thought she would be labelled a criminal, and that no-one would believe what had happened to her.
For seven months, Tsehay was supported by our team in one of our Lighthouse centres. We worked closely with her to prepare her for the experience of giving evidence in court. She gradually became more confident, as she understood she would be protected and that we would be by her side throughout.
When Tsehay heard the verdict, she said: “I am very grateful to Hope for Justice. The support provided to me is truly wonderful.”
With Tsehay’s self-esteem and resilience clearly improved, we began working to locate her older sister, who she had become keen to live with. Following a meeting with her, we brought Tsehay into her care. We remain in regular contact with Tsehay, who is looking forward to going back to school.
*Name changed to protect identity
