A Mother’s Quiet Fight

In northern Sri Lanka, a young survivor of sexual violence is rebuilding her life courageously, supported by her mother’s unwavering determination, and a group of committed probation officers who stand beside her in her path to healing.  
 
In a quiet village, 41-year-old Kamala*, a mother of four, sits outside her house. A rice mill hums in the distance as she recalls the day her world fell apart. Five years later, now she speaks with strength, helping her eldest daughter Thiru* piece her life back together.  

“My daughter Thiru* was always quiet. I never imagined something like this could happen to her,” Kamala says softly. “She was just a child.”

It was during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021 that Kamala noticed her 13-year-old withdrawing. Concerned and refusing to ignore the signs, she took her to a nearby clinic, only to hear words that changed their lives forever.

“The doctor said she was pregnant. I thought he was mistaken,” Kamala recalls.

That night, disbelief turned into anguish as Thiru revealed the horror she had endured, by someone she trusted. Later, it was revealed that another perpetrator had also been involved. By then, she was eight months pregnant.

After the assault was disclosed, the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of the area referred the case to the Probation Department. A probation officer immediately visited the family, spoke with both Thiru and Kamala, and convened a case conference with key stakeholders including the Probation Department and the National Child Protection Authority. 

For Kamala, who felt lost in a system she did not understand, this early guidance became a lifeline.

Given the risks and Thiru’s advanced pregnancy, the team collectively decided that she should be placed in a safe house until her delivery. It was a decision Kamala embraced even though it was painful to see her daughter leave. 

Re-victimizing the survivor 

 
Kamala says she was determined and stood by her daughter through childbirth despite the judgment and insensitivity they faced by their neighbours.

“I remember when we came home from the hospital after the diagnosis of her pregnancy, the whole village was outside our home. They shouted, telling us to leave. My daughter, who was then 8 months pregnant, stayed in the vehicle, crying,” she remembers.

Police were called to calm the crowd. Yet the trauma deepened when the investigation required Thiru to identify her abusers in public.

“She was crying as she walked through the village. Everyone was watching. It broke her completely and she stopped talking,” Kamala says.

After Thiru was placed in the safe house, she had received psychological care alongside other support. Slowly, with support and compassion, she began to heal; a process Kamala followed closely, never missing a visit, never letting Thiru feel alone. 

The unseen protectors

From the moment the case conference was convened, Kamala says the probation officers stepped in, not just as caseworkers, but as a consistent support system walking alongside her weary self.

“When we first met her, she wouldn’t speak,” recalls M. Jenispriya, a Probation Officer who continues to work on Thiru’s case. “She avoided eye contact and later when she had the baby, she wouldn’t even hold her baby. We visited daily, offering emotional and practical support. Gradually, we noticed the changes, and she began to smile again.”

The Northern Provincial Probation Department coordinated with hospitals, police, and the education department to ensure Thiru’s safety and continuity of education. She currently continues her education in a protective home. 

Their work reflects a growing recognition that justice for child-survivors of gender-based violence must be child-centered, trauma-informed, and rooted in care. These are principles that are underscored and highlighted in the continuous support provided by UNICEF. This line of thinking also strengthened Kamala, who was navigating fear, stigma, and uncertainty on her own.

This approach also aligns with Sri Lanka’s commitments under the Bogotá Pledges – a set of commitments made by the government of Sri Lanka in Bogota, Colombia during the Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in 2024. The pledges included commitments to strengthen child protection systems, prevent family-child separation, and ensure that every child grows up in a safe, nurturing family environment.

These pledges have reaffirmed the country’s resolve to strengthen the professionalism, ethics, and capacity of probation officers, who are a key group of first responders working with child-survivors of violence.

“Probation officers are the bridge between justice and care,” Ms. Jenispriya says. “We must walk alongside survivors, not ahead of them.” 

From trauma to purpose

This transformation is being accelerated by UNICEF, by providing specialized training to Probation officers across Sri Lanka on child-sensitive case management, psychosocial support, and gender-responsive justice. 

These strengthened skills played a crucial role in guiding Kamala through the most difficult period of her life, helping her understand processes, make decisions, and remain steady for her daughter.

“Through these trainings, we’ve learned to listen better, respond faster, and keep children and survivors at the heart of our work,” notes another Northern provincial Probation Officer, S. Sangitha. “Every child deserves justice and dignity.”

Months of dedicated counselling, follow-up visits, and education support have helped Thiru return to school. Today, she is a bright student with a clear dream: to become a lawyer.

“We didn’t know anything about laws when our issue started,” Kamala says. “Now Thiru says she wants to help other girls like her and I think that's the best way to heal.”

Today, Kamala continues to hold her family together. She cares for her grandchild while supporting Thiru’s return to school. This is all while raising her other two younger children on her own. Balancing caregiving, and daily survival through the ordeal has not been easy, but Kamala’s resilience has become the steady center of her family, proving that even in the aftermath of the toughest challenges in life, a mother’s strength can rebuild what was broken.

Three years on, the shame that once shadowed their family has turned into strength. A mother’s unwavering love combined with the guidance of well-trained, probation officers helped them find their footing again. Kamala says, "I thought our lives were over, but now when I see her smiling, I know we did the right thing.”