Cet article évalue un dispositif de prise en charge psychologique de fillettes victimes de violences sexuelles dans trois villages différents autour de Bukavu (RDC).

Cinquante-sept fillettes de moins de 10 ans ayant subi des violences sexuelles dans trois villages différents autour de Bukavu et suivies par l’association EPA et la Fondation Panzi.

Les trois échantillons d’enfants correspondant aux trois sites ont été testés afin de voir s’ils étaient comparables, une série de données concernant les fillettes a été recueillie afin de vérifier leur influence sur l’évolution de l’enfant et, finalement, un indice de fonctionnement global a été utilisé pour mesurer l’efficacité de la thérapie par le jeu.

Les trois échantillons d’enfants sont très semblables et donc comparables. Aucune variable n’est prédictive de l’évolution de l’enfant, une fois celles liée au site et à la présence du père exclues. La thérapie par le jeu n’a été totalement positive que pour un site, le plus sécurisé des trois.

Il existe un facteur de contexte lié aux particularités du site ainsi qu’un facteur individuel ou intrafamilial qui influence l’évolution de l’enfant. La thérapie par le jeu n’a pas d’effet significatif sur ceux-ci même si elle permet de lutter contre la stigmatisation de ces fillettes.

This article evaluates a psychological care program for girls who were victims of sexual violence in three different villages around Bukavu (DRC).

Fifty-seven girls under 10 years of age who have suffered sexual violence in three different villages around Bukavu and followed by the EPA association (“Enfants de Panzi et d’Ailleurs”) and the Panzi Foundation.

The three samples of children corresponding to the three villages were tested to ensure that they were comparable through different variables such as the father's presence, the age of the victims and the children’ stigmatization. A series of data about the girls was collected and transformed into 13 variables in order to test their influence on the child's development. Finally, an overall functioning index was used to measure the effectiveness of play therapy. This global functioning index concerned five fields: feeling of security, health, cognitive development, family integration and community integration.

The three samples of children were very similar and therefore comparable. No variables were predictive of the child's development, once those related to the site and the presence of the father were excluded. However, a high-risk group of children in the three regions emerged from the analysis. Play therapy was only totally positive for one site, the most secure of the three. Moreover, a group of high-risk children from all regions of origin was identified in the study and presented some very worrying characteristics.

The denial of young raped children allows criminals to go unpunished. Travelling in DCR is difficult for victims because of distance, cost and road insecurity; moreover, the number of victims is high, and it is thus difficult to create individual therapy. Moreover, as the community is an essential symbol, the use of group therapy, and in particular play therapy, is really appropriate instead of individual therapy. The mother-child relationship should be further investigated and could be an important variable for the high-risk group.

There was a context factor related to the particularities of the site as well as an individual or intra-family factor that influences the child's development. Even if play therapy did not have a directly significant effect on children, it helped to combat the stigmatization of these girls. Moreover, play therapy may have an effect on variables other than those considered in this study or may be masked by mediating variables. Finally, a group of high-risk children that has been identified in the study presented worrying clinical data and particular features that are of great concern and will require special attention and care.