Season of Love: Rain

This mini-series explores youth issues in Thai society, focusing on early and unexpected scenarios of teenage pregnancies and how the young protagonists, their families and friends, as well as authorities and society at large cope with these situations. Four directors examine different perspectives on this issue. In this episode, a sexually abused girl is fighting for her rights and against society’s perception that rape victims are shameful and unlovable. The protagonist provides solutions and connects to various agencies and addresses the abortion issues after sexual assault. She also speaks about how she healed after her abuse and learned to love herself again. Thailand’s teenage pregnancy rate is among the highest in Southeast Asia. In fact, even though the overall birthrate is dropping, teen births are on the rise. Out of every 1,000 live births, 54 are from teen mothers aged 15 to 19 - which is higher than in the United States. The number of live births by Thai teenage mothers aged 15 to 18 increased by 43 percent between 2000 and 2011, an annual public health report shows. Health experts put weight on cultural mores that make frank discussion of the issue difficult, whether in an official context or a personal one.