To discuss the use of the psychoanalytic method in clinical research and treatment in cases of child sexual abuse, through the account of assistance to a 9 year old female victim of incest.

Session-report of the child.

The girl, abused by her father, shows up in her introspective first hour of play, refusing to address the abuse. Draws three hearts by writing down their names. In the first, writes her name inside the heart and the name of the mother. Under the second, she writes the name of her stepfather whom she calls “father”. Under the third “mother” and writes her name. Delivers to the design analyst and cries, saying she wants her father, calling the name of her stepfather. Later assembles a puzzle of Noah's Ark. She says that God sent Noah to build the ark to bring an animal of each species. The analyst wonders whether it would be a couple of animals. She curtly replied no.

Through the session hour, we observed the injuries produced by emotional abuse, and the child's need to seek a trusted father figure, represented in the drawing of her stepfather. Because of the loss of confidence, the analyst is an element of persecution for the child, and the “analytic couple” still cannot be formed. Note the importance of understanding the symbolic communication expressed in the play, which highlighted situations of psychic damage and the need to repair the damaged parts of the self.