Miss Mint (pseudonym), 14 years old, is in grade 8 and is the eldest of three daughters. Her parents work in a factory in a central province. Her parents brought Mint for counseling because they found her with a 20-year-old male friend in front of a department store after she spent a night at his house.
The parents pressed charges against the male friend for abduction of a minor. The police sent her for a medical examination, and a urine test revealed she was pregnant. She said she had previously had sexual relations with her first boyfriend, whom she broke up with at the end of last year, and had known this male friend through social media for two months. Mint had engaged in sexual activities several times without her parents’ knowledge. Since Mint was a good student and obedient, her parents did not scold her when this incident occurred. When asked about her future, she said she wanted to be a doctor but was afraid of needles. Regarding her pregnancy, she said it was up to her parents.
Conversations with Mint and her parents revealed that she was a product of a family where the parents believed they had raised their child well but lacked communication and closeness. The parents never discussed sexual matters for fear of leading their child astray, so she sought experiences on her own and could not share this with her parents. Additionally, her parents never made her responsible for her daily life, so her decisions depended on them.
Counseling began with Mint to discover her true desires by weighing love and education against the future that would result from her choices. This included decisions about her own life and the life of the unborn child, as well as the path she would take following her choice.
We asked Mint to reflect on the discussions with her parents to understand their thoughts on the incident and the pregnancy, which reflected her father’s forgiveness regarding her sexual activity but concern for her safety and pain in terminating the pregnancy. Her mother was concerned about her education and wanted her to focus on exams before making a decision. Mint also realized the truth about her male friend’s promises of love and care when he gave his statement at the police station, which were not genuine.
Ultimately, Mint made her choice. She realized she should love her own life and wanted a good future. Her life included loving and well-meaning parents. In the end, she decided to terminate the pregnancy with her parents by her side, offering support…