Abstract

SIQUEIRA, Aline Cardoso; ARPINI, Dorian Mônica  and  SAVEGNAGO, Sabrina Dal Ongaro. The family and sexual abuse in the perspective of socially vulnerable girls. Aletheia [online]. 2011, n.34, pp.109-122. ISSN 1413-0394.

The sexual violence against girls is a huge problem in the society. This study aims to understand the conceptions and beliefs about sexual abuse, family relationships and reactions of adolescents in a social vulnerability situation. The participants were 30 female adolescents, aged from 12 to 16 years old, from a social project in a city in a city of Rio Grande do Sul state. Data were collected through focal groups. The results show that the girls understand sexual abuse as a stressful event that is difficult to be handled. They mentioned shame, threats from the offender, dependence among family and perpetrator, lack of communication among parents and children and proximity between the mother and her partner as aspects present in this phenomenon. Specific policies, which act toward the families, both as a preventive point of view and dealing with sexual violence, are suggested and discussed.

Keywords : Sexual violence; Family relationship; Social vulnerability.