Project helps to expose sexual assault through show-and-tell dolls
Christi Jackson, director of the Pair Bear Project, said, "The dolls help them to explain what has happened to them in a non-threatening way. Children do not know that they have been sexually abused and cannot communicate with those around them."
The fight against sexual assault in the Lowveld continues to intensify as the Pair Bear Project promotes its “show-and-tell dolls”.
These sexually anatomically detailed dolls help counsellors, play therapists and psychologists identify what happened to sexual assault survivors.
The young survivors use them as a demonstration aid. Sexual assault is an umbrella term and includes rape, unwanted sexual contact of any other form and sexual harassment.
Christi Jackson, director of the Pair Bear Project, said, “The dolls help them to explain what has happened to them in a non-threatening way. Children do not know that they have been sexually abused and cannot communicate with those around them.
“They are often sexually assaulted by grooming methods. This is when a child is sexually abused from a young age and grows up thinking that this is normal behaviour.” These dolls have been created anatomically correct, making identification of genital organs easy for younger survivors.
“The dolls come fully equipped with vaginal and anal openings, penis, testicles and breasts. The mouth is also made in such a way that the doll’s tongue can be used in demonstrations,” she said.
The Pair Bear Project is a non-profit organisation focused on upliftment projects in the sewing and tailoring sector in South Africa. To make these essential dolls, the project is in need of financial assistance from the public. “They are hand-crafted and produced by local seamstresses. When we receive funding for our project, we can donate these dolls to NPOs and social care workers in poorer communities,” she explained.
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For more information, contact Christi on hello@pairbearproject.co.za or 081-413-1295, or visit the website, www.pairbearproject.co.za.
