Abstract

COSTA, Liana Fortunato et al. Family and sexual abuse: silence and suffering between the denouncement and the therapeutic intervention. Arq. bras. psicol. [online]. 2007, vol.59, n.2, pp. 245-255. ISSN 1809-5267.

We present reflections on the psychological and emotional conditions that families, with children and/or adolescents sexually abused, have before any therapeutic attendance. We base our reflections on remarks made during a Passage Ritual which is a step of the offer of the Multifamiliar Group and yet constitutes a context for an action research, marking the passage of families from the Justice normative submission to the therapeutic possibility. Eight families participated in this ritual: 14 adults, 13 children and 4 adolescents. There are various complaints in this moment: suffering without attention, cry outburst, silence, difficulty of having a specialized professional available to talk to. We consider that these families are in a paradoxal situation in which they have their life routine regulated by justice but with the benefit of the obligatory judicial procedure. It is necessary that these families receive therapeutic attendance as close as possible to the occurrence of the violence, as well as all its support net.

Keywords : Sexual abuse; Family; Life regulated by justice; Passage ritual; Clinical psychology.

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