We have launched the latest cohort of our Connection and Recovery after Exploitation (CARE) Groups Program for youth survivors of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) and the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). All participants are currently in the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Home for Girls. The CARE Groups program is a structured 8-session support group designed for youth OSEC and CSEC survivors. CARE Groups provide a supportive healing environment for children and adolescents who have been abused, trafficked, and exploited.
CARE Groups integrate several core components. First, we provide psychoeducation to help youth better understand their mental health and combat stigma. Sessions focus on helping youth learn strategies to identify and manage their emotions, including reducing unhealthy ways of managing emotions and strengthening health-promoting and self-regulation techniques. In addition to education and skill building, our CARE Groups integrate supportive group discussions. These discussions encourage open communication about mental health, build peer support, and create a safe space in which survivors can debrief personal challenges and express themselves without fear of judgment.
The self-awareness and skill-building techniques learned in our CARE Groups are essential to restoring a sense of control over emotional and physiological responses to trauma that may feel overwhelming or unpredictable. These skills support healing by reducing reactivity, enhancing safety, and promoting resilience in the face of triggers or stress. All sessions include practical and applied exercises to help youth learn to apply and put these skills into practice in their day-to-day lives outside of the sessions.
