• Collaborating with, and assisting the criminal justice system to ensure the rights and safety of the child victim of sexual abuse

• Assessing the HIV/AIDS risk of child victims of sexual abuse at point-of-rescue, to intervene and to counsel appropriately

• Applying therapeutic methods with the use of the “Bobbi Bear” ®, to obtain forensic evidence to assist the criminal justice process, within the best interests of the child

• Empowering and training local communities to collaborate with the criminal justice system, to ensure the rights and safety of child (Preventative Measures)

• Empowering and training Child Safety Officers locally, as prototypes for national expansion, and possible inclusion into the criminal justice system

• Equipping and mobilising churches, religious and other communities to be trained in HIV/AIDS, Pre- and Post-Test Counselling and Positive Living / Wellness Management Programmes, in order to offer spiritual and emotional support to child victim of sexual abuse

• To increase awareness within local communities, with the aid of Bobbi Bear® as symbol against sexual abuse and HIV/AIDS

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Operation Bobbi Bear Rescue Centre (Umbogintwini):
The Operation Bobbi Bear Rescue Centre is where all Operation Bobbi Bear activities and projects are based. The centre also functions as a drop-in centre, a counselling facility and a community help desk for child sexual abuse.

Child Safety Officer Training & Mentorship Programme:
Operation Bobbi Bear offers a training and mentorship programme for Child Safety Officers (CSO’s). The CSO’s work in conjunction with the local police and legal services to assist child victims of sexual abuse from the point of rescue and throughout the entire legal process. The CSO’s are trained in counselling and provide practical assistance and support to child victims of sexual abuse and their caregivers. At present, Operation Bobbi Bear have 10 CSO’s who work with about 20 new cases of child sexual abuse / rape per month. Below is a description of the specially designed “Bobbi Bear” that our CSO’s are trained to use.

“Bobbi Bear” is a non-threatening means for child victims of sexual abuse to communicate the nature of the abuse, crossing all language barriers and preventing secondary abuse at point of rescue. It provides the criminal justice system and caregiver with a better understanding of actual events and enables the initiation of appropriate HIV and AIDS interventions.

“Bobbi Bear’ is smooth. A furry bear would create confusion and hinder accurate descriptions. Secondly, her arms and legs move, allowing for easy manipulation to demonstrate in a simple way what has happened to the child.

As the child uses the bear to describe what has happened to him/her, he/she does not have to relive the trauma by having to show this on his/her own body. Many children will have been taught not to point or touch their “private parts” and so it is possible to avoid further humiliation.

At the point of rescue, a trained Child Safety Officer gives the child a rape bag and two bears, one for information gathering and one to keep. In the rape bag, the child will find amongst other things, a permanent marker and plasters to illustrate on the bear what the perpetrator did to him/her. The “Bobbi Bear” is registered and a number is used for documentation purposes. The bear is dated and signed by the Family Violence Child Abuse Sexual Offences Unit, Child Safety Officer and Caregivers and is then bagged and kept for the child’s first appearance in court.

The child identifies him/herself with the bear and is encouraged to take it with them wherever they go. To prevent the stigma of rape and increase awareness “Hero Bears” are also handed to children at schools.

The HIV Edu-Toy Education & Awareness Programme for Children:
With the use of specially designed Edu-toys, Operation Bobbi Bear provides age appropriate HIV/AIDS education and awareness to children at local primary schools. Operation Bobbi Bear recognizes the importance of educating children about HIV/AIDS from an early age to prevent the risk of infection. In addition, Operation Bobbi Bear uses this programme to Educate teachers and school staff about sexual abuse and HIV/AIDS and to identify sexually abused children in the communities. The HIV Edu-Toy programme is also used to address racism and sexism in schools.

Tree Clinic (Lower Illovo):
The Tree Clinic was started in 1996 and is run every Wednesday by Operation Bobbi Bear staff and volunteers. At the Tree Clinic, members of the surrounding rural communities receive basic health care, clothing and food donations, advice and education about HIV/AIDS and most importantly care and support from other members. About 40-60 children attend the Tree Clinic each week with their mothers/caregivers. Many of the children have been victims of sexual abuse and have either been infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Staff and volunteers run an informal pre-school at the Tree Clinic each week, with art and crafts and sports/ educational games being the main activities. Operation Bobbi Bear also uses the Tree Clinic as a way of monitoring sexual abuse and HIV/AIDS in the surrounding areas. Besides from assisting the people who attend the project, the tree clinic is also used by Bobbi Bear to monitor the incidents of sexual abuse occurring in the surrounding local communities.

The Operation Bobbi Bear Support Group for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse:
In order to help our child victims of sexual abuse towards healing and wholeness, Operation Bobbi Bear runs a weekly support group every Saturday at our Rescue Centre. Individual and group counselling sessions are held with the children making special use of art and play therapy. Counselling and support is also offered separately to the children’s parents or caregivers to enable them to cope more effectively and assist their children more effectively in healing.

The Operation Bobbi Bear Child Hero Programme:
The Hero programme is a new programme implemented by Operation Bobbi Bear whereby local schools nominate a child that has shown bravery in an adverse situation or has helped their community in a positive way. The winner of this award receives a prize from Operation Bobbi Bear and is the official Bobbi Bear Representative for their school for the following year. The programme aims to reward deserving children and to foster philanthropy and giving from a young age.

WE NEED:
Our biggest needs are monetary donations, for the running costs of our work, a vehicle for transporting our victims, new premises for our rescue centre (before June 2006). Clothing and toiletry donations for our victims. Basic medical supplies for our victims and support groups.

Awards won by Operation Bobbi Bear:

• NAME OF AWARD: One of the top ten finalists for the Elle Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Awards 2005
  SPONSOR: Elle and Elizabeth Arden
  YEAR: 2005
  DESCRIPTION OF AWARD: Top Ten women making a visible difference in their communities.
  WHAT DID I WIN IT FOR: Nominated for her dedication and tireless efforts regarding the fight for justice of abused children.
  WEBSITE/CONTACT PERSON: www.elizabetharden.co.za/visibledifference/flash.html
  
  

• NAME OF AWARD: Unilever’s 100 Women in 100 Communities Project
  SPONSOR: Unilever
  YEAR: 2004
  DESCRIPTION OF AWARD: Unilever honours and recognises women who have played a critical role in their communities.
  WHAT DID I WIN IT FOR: Tree Clinic project, which address HIV/Aids, child sexual abuse, positive living and women empowerment.

• NAME OF AWARD: The Durban Group of Amnesty International South Africa Role of Honour
  SPONSOR: Amnesty International
  YEAR: 2005
  DESCRIPTION OF AWARD: For the significant role played as a defender of human rights in South Africa
  WHAT DID I WIN IT FOR: Lobby and Activism regarding the rights of child victims of sexual abuse
  WEBSITE/CONTACT PERSON: www.amnesty.org
  
  

• NAME OF AWARD: Advice Desk for the Abused – National Women’s Day, Women who make a difference
  SPONSOR: Advice Desk for the Abused
  YEAR: 2005
  DESCRIPTION OF AWARD: Celebrating women who make a difference in their communities
  WHAT DID I WIN IT FOR: Work that I have accomplished through Operation Bobbi Bear and the Tree Clinic
  WEBSITE/CONTACT PERSON: 031 2625231