Practicing Trauma-Sensitve Empathy in Child Sexual Violence Support Services: A Phemomenological Study in Bekasi City Within a Trauma-Infirmed Care Framework

Sexual violence against children constitutes a traumatic experience that may lead to long-term psychological consequences, particularly when the accompaniment process is not conducted in a trauma-sensitive manner. Companions play a crucial role in preventing retraumatization during the child’s recovery process. This study aims to explore how empathy is understood and practiced by companions of child survivors of sexual violence within the framework of Trauma-Informed Care. A qualitative approach was employed using a case study design as proposed by Robert K. Yin. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with child companions from the Regional Child Protection Commission (KPAD) of Bekasi City and a clinical psychologist, and analyzed using manual thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings reveal three main themes: companions’ awareness of the risk of child retraumatization, emotional regulation as a form of professional empathy, and the use of non-confrontational empathic approaches in child accompaniment. These themes indicate that empathy is not merely a spontaneous emotional response, but a conscious, regulated, and trauma-aware practice oriented toward safeguarding children’s psychological well-being. The study conceptualizes these findings as Trauma-Sensitive Empathy, a form of professional empathy that represents the practical implementation of Trauma-Informed Care in the context of child sexual violence accompaniment. This study contributes to trauma psychology literature and provides practical implications for the development of trauma-based child accompaniment services in Indonesia.