The Lenval Foundation orders these dolls to benefit its pediatric emergency service. A valuable tool, made by senior volunteers from the city, which has proven effective for a year at the Nice Juvenile Police Brigade.
“There is nothing worse for a child than to experience reality without anyone being able to support them through the trauma,” laments Dr. Philippe Babe. The head of pediatric emergencies at Lenval recalls that every year, 50,000 children are at risk of abuse. This device was therefore made available to professionals at the Nice Juvenile Police Brigade in March 2022 to facilitate the care of young abuse victims.
Thanks to this project titled “Dolls to Facilitate Children’s Speech,” the city of Nice has been awarded. At the end of 2022, it received the national TERRITORIA GOLD award in the UNICEF category. This recognition has mainly highlighted the initiative. “We were able to share it with all other territories. Even the Ministry of Justice is asking us questions about the existence of these dolls. We hope that the State itself will adopt the project,” says Marie-Pierre Lazard, municipal councilor of Nice, sub-delegated to the Council of Family Rights and Duties.
A fundamental tool of justice and care
These rag dolls are designed to help child abuse victims better express themselves during hearings. Seemingly ordinary, they are not exactly so. Beneath their clothing, openings, penis, and testicles are visible. The dolls are dressed in colorful outfits lovingly crocheted by an army of seamstresses from Nice. “It is less aggressive than a hard doll that is already naked,” explains Marie-Pierre Lazard, lawyer. “They are really pretty, which eases the intrusive nature of questioning,” she continues.
Little girls, boys, men, and women of all shapes and colors are represented in these puppets. The goal: for each child to identify themselves and their aggressor. “The challenge is also to achieve convictions,” highlights Jennifer Salles Barbosa. Through words they lack and an understanding of their child’s body they do not have, these dolls allow them to concretely describe what they have undergone through gestures. “For these traumatized children, expressing themselves this way allows them to express themselves at all, so they can regain their mental and physical health,” shares Barbara Prot, in charge of health prevention for the city of Nice.
An intergenerational initiative that makes sense
“It’s the first time they’ve knitted a penis!” exclaims Jennifer Salles Barbosa. “Indeed, it is uncommon. But they managed and did a great job,” rejoices the deputy in charge of seniors and solidarity. The twenty or so volunteers had to create from scratch what didn’t exist. As soon as the Lenval hospital made a request for its teams, the city’s seniors resumed work. For this second series, they are crafting five families of four. The municipality provides the fabrics and stuffing needed for crafting. The initiative has also received numerous donations “from people who do not work on the project but are sensitive to it,” confides Christine Grimault, in charge of senior volunteers.
Nicole, soon to be 77, is actively participating in this project. “I’m happy to help children, but it surprises me a lot. I didn’t think there were so many problems of this kind,” she repeatedly says. Formerly working in sewing, she is happy to feel useful. And she is not planning to stop. The group had already made 32 last year for child protection professionals. Jean-François Comas, president of the Lenval Foundation, emphasizes this “beautiful relay between civil society and early childhood professionals.”
