The listening to the silences: the care of children and adolescents involved in situations of violence

Abstract

This article reflects on the care given to cases of violence against children and adolescents. From an interdisciplinary perspective and with the background of professional experience in providing support services to this population - professional experience established in the relationship between theory, mediation and practice -, we intend to question and reflect on the meanings and complexities in the treatment of violence in its various expressions and languages ​​(such as cases of sexual abuse); the challenges and possibilities of socio-familial work; the care directed towards the person who perpetrated the violence; working in multi and interdisciplinary teams; and the articulation with the System to Guarantee Rights (SGD). Among the various considerations, we emphasize that the services and the interinstitutional network are composed of professionals associated with this type of practices and qualified to develop ethical, reflexive, and creative actions and the services/professionals have the right conditions for this type of work. The “listening to languages”, which entail the silences, gestures, and words of the subjects being cared for, is also considered essential to identify and respect their uniqueness.