The Importance of Counselor Communication Management in Trauma Recovery for Child Victims of Sexual Violence

Abstract

Children who are vulnerable to experiencing sexual violence have limited knowledge and experience, so it is challenging to understand acts of violence that occur to them and how to respond to them. This condition makes it increasingly difficult for them to open up and express the traumatic event. The conditions like this will complicate trauma recovery efforts by counselors. This study aims to reveal counselor communication management that examines, among other things, manpower planning management, case management, and the importance of communication management in the trauma recovery process of child victims of sexual violence. A two-year longitudinal qualitative case study was conducted to find reasons and reveal the importance of communication management for counselors in the recovery of trauma from child victims of sexual violence using data through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation studies from 14 informants at the Center for the Protection of Women and Children. The study results show that counselor communication management is vital to ensure that the process of handling child victims of sexual violence runs properly. This communication management is expected to be a way for the counselor to carry out his duties properly where he can manage himself, manage communication with child victims of sexual violence and manage communication with related parties, both internal and external.