Protection of children against sexual violence: Educommunication, prevention and social transformation

Abstract

The study seeks to identify educommunication processes that promote the prevention of sexual violence against children, within the project “Protection and Gender Equality” promoted by the non-governmental organization Plan International. Experience implemented from June to December 2018, in the municipalities of Achacachi and Jesús de Machaca (La Paz); Padcaya and San Lorenzo (Tarija); Buena Vista and El Torno (Santa Cruz); and Tarabuco and Zudañez (Chuquisaca). The research understands that educommunication implies an interrelation of education and communication simultaneously, capable of generating transformation processes (Aparici, 2003), in this case, for the benefit of children in the face of violence.

The methodological approach is qualitative, it applies in-depth interviews and focus groups to mothers, fathers, girls and boys, in order to collect information that describes and explains the phenomenon. The results show that children identify signs of violence and are able to report any action that violates their right to protection. Verify that the populations studied prevent and reduce violent acts, through educommunication processes. Finally, it opens the question about the development of educommunicative competences, in order to build an environment favorable to the self-protection and protection of children.